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by Alexandra Furnea (Author)
GOLD MEDAL WINNER FOR "BEST MEMOIR" IN THE 2024 READERS' FAVORITE AWARDS
Diary of 66 is one woman's triumph over tragedy, and also a warning about the often-deadly consequences of corruption, in all of its shapes and forms. Witness the harrowing account of survival, systemic betrayal, and the fight for dignity after Romania's deadliest nightclub fire--a rock journalist's unflinching memoir of trauma and resilience.On October 30, 2015, Alexandra Furnea attended a concert by Romanian metal band Goodbye to Gravity at Bucharest's Colectiv Club. Within minutes, pyrotechnics ignited the venue's flammable soundproofing, trapping hundreds in an inferno. Sixty-five people died, and many survivors faced an equally brutal battle: a corrupt healthcare system riddled with hospital-acquired infections, negligent and brutal care, and institutional denial. Diary of 66 chronicles Alexandra's excruciating journey from the flames through months of agonizing treatment in Romanian hospitals, where inadequate pain management, multidrug-resistant bacteria, and systemic failures compounded her suffering.
This memoir exposes the intersection of personal trauma and societal collapse. Alexandra's detailed account--from torturous "bath-time" procedures without anesthesia to her eventual transfer to a German burn rehabilitation clinic--reveals the stark disparities in healthcare and the strength required to reclaim one's body and identity. Her voice as a music journalist brings cultural depth, situating the tragedy within Romania's underground scene and broader issues of corruption and neglect.
Diary of 66 is a searing indictment of institutional failure and a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure unimaginable pain, offering an intimate portrait of survival, loss, and the ongoing quest for healing and justice.
Author Biography
Alexandra Furnea is a Romanian journalist, social activist and writer. She has worked for over ten years as a music journalist, promoting the local and international rock scene. While attending a concert she was supposed to write a review for on October 30th 2015, she was severely injured in what came to be known as the "Colectiv Club fire". She survived and wrote her memoir, "Jurnalul lui 66", which became a bestseller in Romania. It unmasked the corruption that was to blame for her ordeal and the death of 65 young and promising Romanians.
