{"product_id":"rakes-of-the-old-court-9780810142251","title":"Rakes of the Old Court","description":"Widely regarded as the greatest Romanian novel of the twentieth century, Mateiu Caragiale's \u003ci\u003eRakes of the Old Court\u003c\/i\u003e (\u003ci\u003eCraii de Curtea-Veche\u003c\/i\u003e) follows four characters through the bars and brothels of Bucharest. Guided by an amoral opportunist, the shadowy narrator and his two affluent friends drink and gamble their way through a city built on the ruins of crumbled castles and bygone empires. The novel's shimmering, spectacular prose describes gripping vignettes of love, ambition, and decay. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Originally published in 1929, \u003ci\u003eRakes of the Old Court\u003c\/i\u003e is considered a jewel of Romanian modernism. Devoted \"Mateists\" have long read, memorized, and reenacted the novel, and after the Romanian Revolution, it became part of the high school curriculum. Now canonical, Mateiu's work has been celebrated for its opulent literary style and enigmatic tone. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMATEIU CARAGIALE\u003c\/b\u003e (1885-1936) was a Romanian writer of fiction and poetry. The illegitimate son of prominent playwright Ion Luca Caragiale, Mateiu had a contentious relationship with his family. Heavily influenced by Edgar Allan Poe, his works describe characters of uncertain ancestry, airs of fog and mystery, and plots of decadence and abasement. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eSEAN COTTER\u003c\/b\u003e is a professor of literature and translation studies at the University of Texas at Dallas. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Northwestern University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51985407967506,"sku":"9780810142251","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_bead5c10-7b4b-4722-995b-2bf16334ee95.jpg?v=1769533617","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/rakes-of-the-old-court-9780810142251","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}