Romanian girl after 1989 revolution - historical photograph depicting hope and change in post-communist Romania

Dacia automobile factory during communist Romania era - industrial life under Ceaușescu regime

Bucur Obor neighborhood in Bucharest 1986 - everyday life in communist Romania before the revolution

Bucur Obor underground passage in Bucharest 1980 - urban infrastructure during Ceaușescu's communist Romania

Elderly man reading letter on boulevard - vintage photograph capturing quiet moment of correspondence

Latina refugee camp in Italy - a pivotal setting in Everything Worth Counting by Mihaela Balan Larsen, illustrated

Les Dues Donnes restaurant in Barcelona - an important location in Everything Worth Counting by Mihaela Balan Larsen, illustrated

Bucharest after 1977 Vrancea earthquake - devastation and aftermath in communist Romania

Latina refugee camp entrance 1975 Italy - transit point for Romanian refugees fleeing communist regime

Latina refugee camp mess hall - daily life of refugees in 1970s Italy

Romanian Revolution Bucharest December 1989 - fall of Ceaușescu communist regime

Scânteia newspaper Romania 1980 - communist party propaganda publication

Vintage Romanian letter Privighietoarea - historical correspondence from communist era Romania

Vintage Barcelona photograph - historical street scene from 1970s Spain featured in Everything Worth Counting

Vintage Barcelona photograph - 1970s Spain cityscape where Eva and Alex found refuge in Everything Worth Counting

Artistic illustration of Alex and Eva in a ruined dreamscape - a scene from Everything Worth Counting by Mihaela Balan Larsen, illustrated by Yvonne Olsen

It's 1977 in Zimnicea, Romania. An earthquake has reduced the home of ten-year-old Alex to rubble, taking with it his father and his best friend. With their world in ruins and Ceaușescu tightening his grip on a fearful nation, Alex's mother, Eva, must find the strength to protect her son and fight for a future beyond the confines of Communist Romania.

Inspired by real events, this story captures the heartbreak of loss, the value of tradition, and the enduring hope of a migrant mother and son determined to build a better life from the ashes.

Everything Worth Counting book cover - A historical fiction novel by Mihaela Balan Larsen about survival in 1977 communist Romania during the earthquake

Praise

"Everything Worth Counting by Mihaela Balan Larsen is an amazing read that piqued my curiosity about Romanian history... This thought-provoking work expertly captured the importance of having a supportive family and community. I loved the steady pacing, which kept me intrigued and eager to discover the next twist in the flawlessly flowing plot."

— Frank Mutuma, Readers' Favorite

What is the use of imagination if we are victims of reality? Quote from Everything Worth Counting: A Mother and Son's Journey Beyond the Iron Curtain by Mihaela Balan Larsen

Her voice was of a woman who had breathed the dust of her ruined home, cried at the sight of her husband's broken body, and tasted the sweat running off her forehead and down to the factory floors. In other words, it was the voice of my mother, my best friend, and the voice of everyone else who had suffered at the hands of their country. Quote from Everything Worth Counting: A Mother and Son's Journey Beyond the Iron Curtain by Mihaela Balan Larsen

"The writing will resonate with every reader, as we can so clearly feel the emotions of both mother and child. What is it like to be homeless, dependent on the kindness of near strangers, and cope in a refugee camp? This story takes you there, with the highs, the lows, and the small victories."

— Lucinda E Clarke, Author of Amie: An African Adventure