Although her death at the tender age of 28 ended her promising literary career prematurely, Magda Isanos (1916–1944) ranks among the greatest poets in the history of Romanian literature. When Angels Sing: Poetry and Prose of Magda Isanos presents, for the first-time, English language versions of her writings, revealing their beauty, sensitivity, and aura of mysticism, along with a premonition of impending doom.
Born in Iași, in northeastern Romania, Magda was raised in Chișinău (in what is now Moldova) before she returned to the city of her birth to attend the University of Iași. While a student there, Magda became active in the most important literary circle of the era, centered around the journal Însemnări ieșene. This group included many of the greatest literary voices of Romania’s version of the lost generation, among them George Topîrceanu, Mihail Sadoveanu, Eusebiu Camilar (her future husband), and Mihai Codreanu.
One of the most remarkable female voices of her generation, the poetry and prose of Magda Isanos mirror the troubled era in which she lived, as well as the tragedy of her own life. The themes expounded in her literary works are universal. From a sense of impending doom, decrying the horrors of war, to a longing for peace, and a boundless hope for a brighter future for all of humanity, her literary creations reflect a wide spectrum of emotions.
When Angels Sing is the first English language edition of poems and prose by this remarkable Romanian writer. It includes an introduction on the poet’s life and work by Dr. A.K. Brackob, along with a postscript by the poet’s late daughter, Elisabeta Isanos. A series of original illustrations by talented young Romanian artist, Alexandra Chiriță give visual expression to the literary creations of Magda Isanos in this beautiful volume, making When Angels Sing a book that belongs in any representative collection of world literature.
