Cristian Tudor Popescu
Encyclopedia
Cristian Tudor Popescu (kristiˈan ˈtudor poˈpesku; often nicknamed CTP; born October 1, 1956) is a Romania
n journalist, essayist and short-story writer. Author of science fiction
stories during his youth, he has also hosted talk show
s for various television stations, and had contributions as a literary critic and translator. Popescu was the editor-in-chief of Adevărul
, and, in 2005, he founded the newspaper Gândul
in association with Mircea Dinescu
. He was also the president of the Romanian Press Club until November 2006, when he resigned his office over an issue regarding the representation of journalists in the Club. He was re-elected president on February 10, 2007. Based on opinion polls, he was designated Romania's best journalist four years in a row 2005–2008.
, he graduated Politehnica University in 1981, majoring in Computer Science
. Popescu began writing fiction during the communist regime
, focusing on his journalistic career after the Romanian Revolution of 1989
. He made his debut in 1984 in the Echinox literary magazine of Cluj-Napoca
with the SF story Grădina de cenuşă ("The Ash Garden"). Popescu's work was subsequently featured in most SF anthologies, almanacs and magazines before 1990, and he was twice a laureate of the ROMCON Awards (1985, 1986). He received the Eurocon
Award for the collection of short stories Planetarium.
After 1990, he confined his SF activity to translating and editing the works of others.
Popescu translated Stanisław Lem's novels Manuscript Found in a Bathtub, Return from the Stars
, as well as Norman Spinrad
's Bug Jack Barron
(in collaboration with Dan Mihai Pavelescu). As an editor of SF literature, he published Dănuţ Ungureanu's novel Marilyn Monroe on a Closed Curve (1993), Dan Merişca's Revolt in Labyrinth (1996), and the SF anthology The Empire of the Crooked Mirrors (1993).
Between 1990 and 2005, Popescu was the editor-in-chief of Adevărul
newspaper. In disagreement with the management, he and 81 journalists resigned from the paper and, together with Mircea Dinescu
, started their own publication, Gândul
, however Mircea Dinescu resigned in January 2008.
Together with Emil Hurezeanu
he was also a co-host of the TV two-man political talk show Cap şi Pajură (Heads and Tails) broadcast on Realitatea TV
.
Cristian Tudor Popescu is a filmologist, PhD in cinematography of the National University of Theatrical and Cinematographic Art I.L. Caragiale, Bucharest, where he is teaching a course on Manipulation and Propaganda Techniques in Movie and Television.
Since 2006, Cristian Tudor Popescu is the host of the TV show CineTePrinde, broadcasted each Saturday, starting from 10 pm, on Pro Cinema
, where he comments a movie, which is given afterwards, from a critical point of view.
A fact that has become widely known in the last years is that CTP is an accomplished tennis
player having won numerous national tournaments in the 55+ senior category competing
against as many as 140 contestants at an event.
1998, second edition, Polirom
Publishing House
1998, second edition, Polirom Publishing House
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n journalist, essayist and short-story writer. Author of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
stories during his youth, he has also hosted talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
s for various television stations, and had contributions as a literary critic and translator. Popescu was the editor-in-chief of Adevărul
Adevarul
Adevărul is a Romanian daily newspaper, based in Bucharest. Founded in 1871 and reestablished in 1888, it was the main left-wing press venue to be published during the Romanian Kingdom's existence, adopting an independent pro-democratic position, advocating land reform and universal suffrage...
, and, in 2005, he founded the newspaper Gândul
Gândul
Gândul is a Romanian daily newspaper published in Bucharest. It was founded in May 2005 by Mircea Dinescu, who used to write a daily editorial called "Vorba lu' Dinescu", and Cristian Tudor Popescu, who was also the editor-in-chief until January 2008. Its initial circulation was about 52,000...
in association with Mircea Dinescu
Mircea Dinescu
Mircea Dinescu is a Romanian poet, journalist and editor.He was born in Slobozia, the son of Ştefan Dinescu, a metalworker and Aurelia . Dinescu studied at the Faculty of Journalism of the Ştefan Gheorghiu Academy, and was considered a gifted young poet during his youth, with several poetry...
. He was also the president of the Romanian Press Club until November 2006, when he resigned his office over an issue regarding the representation of journalists in the Club. He was re-elected president on February 10, 2007. Based on opinion polls, he was designated Romania's best journalist four years in a row 2005–2008.
Biography
A native of BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, he graduated Politehnica University in 1981, majoring in Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
. Popescu began writing fiction during the communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
, focusing on his journalistic career after the Romanian Revolution of 1989
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
. He made his debut in 1984 in the Echinox literary magazine of Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
with the SF story Grădina de cenuşă ("The Ash Garden"). Popescu's work was subsequently featured in most SF anthologies, almanacs and magazines before 1990, and he was twice a laureate of the ROMCON Awards (1985, 1986). He received the Eurocon
Eurocon
Eurocon is an annual science fiction convention held in Europe. The organising committee of each Eurocon is selected by vote of the participants of the previous event. The procedure is coordinated by the European Science Fiction Society. The first Eurocon was held in Trieste, Italy, in 1972. Unlike...
Award for the collection of short stories Planetarium.
After 1990, he confined his SF activity to translating and editing the works of others.
Popescu translated Stanisław Lem's novels Manuscript Found in a Bathtub, Return from the Stars
Return from the Stars
Return from the Stars is one of the better known science fiction novels of Stanisław Lem, the most famous Polish science-fiction author. Written in 1961, it revolves around the story of a cosmonaut returning to his homeworld, Earth, and finding it a completely different place than when he left....
, as well as Norman Spinrad
Norman Spinrad
Norman Richard Spinrad is an American science fiction author.Born in New York City, Spinrad is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science. In 1957 he entered City College of New York and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree as a pre-law major. In 1966 he moved to San Francisco,...
's Bug Jack Barron
Bug Jack Barron
Bug Jack Barron is a 1969 science fiction novel written by Norman Spinrad, and was nominated for the 1970 Hugo awards.The book was serialised in the British New Wave science fiction magazine New Worlds during Michael Moorcock's editorship...
(in collaboration with Dan Mihai Pavelescu). As an editor of SF literature, he published Dănuţ Ungureanu's novel Marilyn Monroe on a Closed Curve (1993), Dan Merişca's Revolt in Labyrinth (1996), and the SF anthology The Empire of the Crooked Mirrors (1993).
Between 1990 and 2005, Popescu was the editor-in-chief of Adevărul
Adevarul
Adevărul is a Romanian daily newspaper, based in Bucharest. Founded in 1871 and reestablished in 1888, it was the main left-wing press venue to be published during the Romanian Kingdom's existence, adopting an independent pro-democratic position, advocating land reform and universal suffrage...
newspaper. In disagreement with the management, he and 81 journalists resigned from the paper and, together with Mircea Dinescu
Mircea Dinescu
Mircea Dinescu is a Romanian poet, journalist and editor.He was born in Slobozia, the son of Ştefan Dinescu, a metalworker and Aurelia . Dinescu studied at the Faculty of Journalism of the Ştefan Gheorghiu Academy, and was considered a gifted young poet during his youth, with several poetry...
, started their own publication, Gândul
Gândul
Gândul is a Romanian daily newspaper published in Bucharest. It was founded in May 2005 by Mircea Dinescu, who used to write a daily editorial called "Vorba lu' Dinescu", and Cristian Tudor Popescu, who was also the editor-in-chief until January 2008. Its initial circulation was about 52,000...
, however Mircea Dinescu resigned in January 2008.
Together with Emil Hurezeanu
Emil Hurezeanu
Emil Horaţiu Hurezeanu is a Romanian journalist and writer.- Education :He attended the law faculty at Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca . Then, he worked as jurist in Alba County and Mediaş and at Eminescu Bookshop in Sibiu...
he was also a co-host of the TV two-man political talk show Cap şi Pajură (Heads and Tails) broadcast on Realitatea TV
Realitatea TV
Realitatea TV is a Romanian news television network. The channel is distributed by many cable operators in Romania and Moldova. Its main owner is Romanian businessman Elan Schwartzenberg....
.
Cristian Tudor Popescu is a filmologist, PhD in cinematography of the National University of Theatrical and Cinematographic Art I.L. Caragiale, Bucharest, where he is teaching a course on Manipulation and Propaganda Techniques in Movie and Television.
Since 2006, Cristian Tudor Popescu is the host of the TV show CineTePrinde, broadcasted each Saturday, starting from 10 pm, on Pro Cinema
PRO Cinema
PRO Cinema is a Romanian movie channel that is owned by Central European Media Enterprises and launched on April 19, 2004. It was the first Romanian TV channel dedicated exclusively to movies, and as such it attracted a significant audience from its very inception, mainly in the 18-49 urban...
, where he comments a movie, which is given afterwards, from a critical point of view.
A fact that has become widely known in the last years is that CTP is an accomplished tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player having won numerous national tournaments in the 55+ senior category competing
against as many as 140 contestants at an event.
Published volumes
- 1987--Planetarium, Albatros Publishing House, Bucharest,1987-The Prize of the European Congress of Science-Fiction, MontpellierMontpellier-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - 1991--The Time of the Empty Colt, Cartea Românească Publishing House,
1998, second edition, Polirom
Polirom
Polirom or Editura Polirom is a Romanian publishing house with a tradition of publishing classics of international literature and also various titles in the fields of social sciences, such as psychology, sociology and anthropology. The company was founded in February 1995. The first title...
Publishing House
- 1993-- The Empire of Crooked Mirrors, AdevarulAdevarulAdevărul is a Romanian daily newspaper, based in Bucharest. Founded in 1871 and reestablished in 1888, it was the main left-wing press venue to be published during the Romanian Kingdom's existence, adopting an independent pro-democratic position, advocating land reform and universal suffrage...
Society, anthology of science-fiction literature - 1997-- The Children of the Beast (DU Style)
1998, second edition, Polirom Publishing House
- 1998-- Dead Time, Polirom Publishing House
- 2000-- Omohom-Speculative Fictions, Polirom Publishing House
- 2000-- Romania, transfer picture, Polirom Publishing House
- 2001-- A Corpse Filled Up with Newspapers, Polirom Publishing House
- 2004-- The Romanian Nobel, Polirom Publishing House
- 2004-- Mind's Sport, Polirom Publishing House
- 2004-- The Freedom of Hatred, Polirom Publishing House
- 2005-- The Shakespeare Trigram- Speculative Fictions
- 2005-- Orgasmus comunistas
- 2007-- The Luxury of Death, Polirom Publishing House
- 2009-- Scattered Words, Polirom Publishing House
- 2011-- The Deaf Movie in a Silent Romania. Politics and Propaganda in the Romanian Fiction Movie (1912-1989), Polirom Publishing House