Any Souvenirs?

Fülszöveg

There are at least three Central Europes: the comic-opera region in the imagination of the English; the complex world inspiring nostalgia in the memories of Central Europeans; and the place as it is today (or rather, the places, because Central Europe is a loose term). George Mikes, who is in pursuit of today's reality, defines Central Europe as those countries not on the edge of Europe which he wanted to revisit (you may insist that Yugoslavia is on the edge, but you can't deny that it's a very interesting country).
One of these, Czechoslovakia, refused to let him in, thus inspiring the shortest chapter ever written since that famous one on British sex in How to be an Alien. Another, his native Hungary, threw him out, which resulted in a long and particularly interesting section. Both these events underline the big change in Central Europe since George Mikes left it for England before World War Two: the presence there of Russia as ally, boss or threat.
Some of this book's value... Tovább

Fülszöveg

There are at least three Central Europes: the comic-opera region in the imagination of the English; the complex world inspiring nostalgia in the memories of Central Europeans; and the place as it is today (or rather, the places, because Central Europe is a loose term). George Mikes, who is in pursuit of today's reality, defines Central Europe as those countries not on the edge of Europe which he wanted to revisit (you may insist that Yugoslavia is on the edge, but you can't deny that it's a very interesting country).
One of these, Czechoslovakia, refused to let him in, thus inspiring the shortest chapter ever written since that famous one on British sex in How to be an Alien. Another, his native Hungary, threw him out, which resulted in a long and particularly interesting section. Both these events underline the big change in Central Europe since George Mikes left it for England before World War Two: the presence there of Russia as ally, boss or threat.
Some of this book's value comes from what it can teach us from scratch (if you have more than a superficial touristic picture of Bavaria and Austria in your mind, you are unusual). More comes from its lively and perceptive re-interpretations of what we thought we knew. Its abundant charm derives, of course, from George Mikes's humour; and although the ludicrous incident of his expulsion from Hungary may have been a misfortune for Hungary, it's a bonus for us. The book as a whole leaves us with something far more enduring and enjoyable than the cuckoo-clocks, embroidered tray-cloths and leather-covered liqueur bottles suggested by the title.
Jacl<et design by David Langdon Vissza