Histria Books is pleased to announce the release of The Hatchet, by Mihail Sadoveanu. The book is published by the Center for Romanian Studies, an independent academic research institute, based in the United States, whose mission is to promote knowledge and understanding of Romanian history and culture worldwide. Titles from the Center for Romanian Studies are published exclusively by Histria Books.
The Hatchet has the distinction of being the first crime novel in Romanian literature. The story is based on the classic Romanian folk poem Miorita. Vitoria Lipan is the wife of a shepherd living in a Moldavian village. She can’t read or write but she has outstanding intuition. One day she gets a premonition that something happened to her husband, who was away looking to buy more sheep.
Guided by archaic symbols and local superstitions, Vitoria embarks on a journey to learn the truth. Her character is a unique portrayal of a simple peasant woman in the 1930s. Despite being illiterate she becomes a true female sleuth, crushing every stereotype of that time period. is now available in a new illustrated edition.
The Hatchet is Sadoveanu’s finest work. The great literary critic George Călinescu said of Sadoveanu’s masterpiece, “Sometimes you think you read one of Jack London’s best novels and are amazed, despite differences of color, by the same sweeping, astronomic movement.”
Mihail Sadoveanu was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist, and political figure. One of the most prolific Romanian-language writers, he is remembered mostly for his historical and adventure novels, as well as for his nature writing. The book is enhanced with original illustrations by talented Romanian artist Olga Rogozenco and an introduction by A.K. Brackob.
The Hatchet, 206 pp., Hardcover, ISBN 978-1-59211-310-1, is available at HistriaBooks.com and from all major book retailers. It is also available as an eBook. Titles published under the various imprints of Histria Books are distributed worldwide by the Independent Publishers Group (IPG). For information on publishing with Histria Books, please visit HistriaBooks.com or contact us at info@histriabooks.com.
