Quarantine Reflections Across Two Worlds

Quarantine Reflections across Two Worlds is a captivating memoir about life in two strikingly different worlds, an ardent defense of freedom, and a thought-provoking analysis of current events and ideologies. Nora D. Clinton shares her story of growing up in Bulgaria—from her childhood under communism, to watching the Berlin Wall fall in twelfth grade, to arriving in America, which she made her home. Throughout, she illustrates the dangers of utopian abstractions and the need for common sense and humanity. Her story is for anyone trying to fathom the current surreal reality—fascination with socialism, 2020 pandemic and protests, and so much more.


“It is all about basic humanity, so often drowned these days by enthusiastic efforts to promote abstract ‘values.’ The author reminds us that totalitarian mentality is essentially anti-humanist—no matter whether it claims to be defending a communist or a Nazi state, a nature deprived of people, or the equality of sexes by imposing manufactured uniformity of their roles.”

—Philip Dimitrov, PhD, former prime minister of Bulgaria, ambassador of Bulgaria to the USA and of the EU to Georgia, current constitutional justice and VP of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe


“Quarantine Reflections across Two Worlds is a vivid and compelling account of childhood and youth in communist Bulgaria, which says, in a few words and through illustrative stories, a lot about the misery of living in a totalitarian state. Its talented author, Nora D. Clinton, possesses wide culture and knowledge, which enables her to offer interesting comments about the superiority of liberty and democracy and to address some clichés of the contemporary political discourse.”

—Nassya Kralevska-Owens, journalist and author of numerous books, including Communism Versus Democracy—Bulgaria 1944 to 1997, whose Bulgarian edition became an unsurpassed bestseller about recent history.


“Dr. Nora D. Clinton’s vivid booklet is part personal memoir of a childhood under communist tyranny and part impassioned tribute to political liberty. It is a product of noble independence of spirit and an ode to it.”

—Andrew Bernstein, PhD, American philosopher and internationally acclaimed lecturer and author of fiction and academic books, including Heroes, Legends, Champions: Why Heroism Matters.