A reluctant Fellow Traveler

Young Mihai Koper knows that his remarkable talent in tennis almost guarantees a bright future in professional tennis. He is one of the best juniors in the country, and Communist Romania under Nicolae Ceausescu is doing all in its power to develop international superstars in any sport. It is an essential way for a poor communist country to garner the vital economic and politic help from the Western World against Soviet Union, Ceausescu's sworn enemy. Mihai also dreams of writing, hence his decision to study journalism. The circumstances could not be better for Mihai's dreams and aspirations: all he can think about is a life of tennis greatness, of traveling to the West for tennis tournaments, and of writing about how democratic and despotic regimes measure up. After all, tennis stardom and journalistic acumen could be a winning combination in a communist regime. That is why Mihai feels that his path in life is more than assured, and that nothing could derail it. Approximative number of pages:320.