Red Horizons: The True Story of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescus' Crimes, Lifestyle, and Corruption [Paperback]

One striking feature of the book, noticed by several other reviewers, is how self-serving it is. Pacepa has nothing self-incriminating to say, quite the opposite. He portrays himself as a deeply spiritual man: a devout Christian (prays daily and intensely); a connoiseour of music (concert-quality violin player), painting (his best friend is the subject of his favourite painting), and literature (he conforts himself by reciting Shelley). He hovers around the Ceausescus having minimal and dignified interaction with them, while everyone else is grovelling and debasing themselves in order to gain their favour. Pacepa's actions themselves are usually unclear, it always seems to be someone else who issues the order to have the dissident beaten or threatened. His sole role seems to be that of a witness, quitely gathering material for his book.

This is quite laughable. He was the chief of the Securitate's external informations (i.e. espionage) operations. Just like the Nazi Gestapo, the Romanian Securitate was a highly politicized institution where it was virtually impossible for a cool and impassive professional to find himself promoted to a top position. The Securitate was not the Army or the Government, where professionals did occasionally and temporarily bubble up to top positions.

Pacepa's bid to portray his relation to Ceausescu similarly to Canaris's relation to Hitler -- begrudging acquiescence leading to revolt -- is silly, if it wasn't despicable. It is far more likely that Pacepa was like a Kaltenbrunner or Heydrich, or at least a Schellenberg, to Ceausescu. It is little wonder we are told nothing about Pacepa's raise to one of the top positions in the Romanian Communist hierarchy.

In addition to being highly implausible the book is poorly written and short on interesting historical detail. Potentially interesting information regarding Ceausescu's secrent foreign accounts and assassination attempts against dissidents is often alluded to, but never documented or detailed. This would have been helpful, because in post-Ceausescu Romania no such accounts or criminal actions could be found, and not for lack of trying.

However, a lot of effort is put into painting a caricatural picure of the Ceausescus and their immediate coterie of subalterns -- which makes Pacepa's dignified self-portrayal even less believable. Every time Elena C is mentioned we are reminded that her teeth are yellow. Every time Nicolae C eats we are reminded of his poor manners. The emphasis on such personality details at the expense of serious historically relevant information undermines the credibility of the book even further.

In conclusion this book is mildly entertaining and not very informative. It is a (most likely) highly fictionalized and sanitized memoirs. I am afraid that reading this book to learn about Pacepa is equivalent with watching the movie 'A Beautiful Mind' to learn about John Nash.

Even if you don't like Historical nonfiction, you will love this book and it will truly hold your attention. It is not just a book of facts but written by the man who led Ceausescu's Intelligence agency during his regime. One must wonder how he could go along with Ceausescu's regime and still live with it today but nonetheless it is worth reading. The feeling you get from "Red Horizons," when reading it is not so much an account of dates and facts but a feel of the day to do atrocities and the Ceausescus cowardice and filthy nature. It is almost like reading Macbeth and you shutter to think this actually happened.

This book should be read by anyone who has a yearning to learn about one of the worst regimes to exist after WW2.