Winner of the 2007 National Jewish Book Award in the category of Biography, Autobiography & Memoir
A powerful memoir of war, politics, l... read full description
A powerful memoir of war, politics, l... read full description
reviews
Dec 28, 2008
Erakil
rated it: 
George Konrad is a world-famous author and essayist and former President of International PEN. He survived the Nazi holocaust as a child, and was a dissident under the Soviet-run Hungarian government until that government fell.
A wonderful book to read, especially for people grew up in Hungary after
the Holocaust. The translation is very good, but the original
Hungarian version is better. I do not blame the translator, because it is
almost impossible to translate the More...
A wonderful book to read, especially for people grew up in Hungary after
the Holocaust. The translation is very good, but the original
Hungarian version is better. I do not blame the translator, because it is
almost impossible to translate the More...
Mar 11, 2009
Laura
rated it: 
This was a painful and emotional read at times. I had to close the book and just sit back to breathe more than once. I felt that some parts, especially in the middle of the book, dragged a bit, though, and I was often confused as the narrative had a tendency to jump from decade to decade without warning. However, I adored the last few pages, which were moving and beautifully written.
Mar 27, 2011
Patricia
rated it:
Part one, about his childhood in Hungary during World War I, is riveting if sometimes hard to follow. Part two, about his later life, including the Hungarian Revolution, doesn't hang together as a narrative.
Mar 04, 2008
Julie
rated it:
I was interested in this memoir because of my Hungarian in laws.
It is divided in 2 parts - the first focuses on the author's experiences as a young Jewish boy growing up in the Hungarian country side and his flight to Budapest and several other locales, trying to avoid the Nazis. I found this part very interesting - he has the ability to show things through a child's eyes.
The second part follows him through adult life as an intellectual and author attempting to live under C More...
Jul 23, 2010
To read A Guest in My Own Country is to experience the recent history of East-Central Europe from the inside.
Mar 25, 2011
Katie
rated it: 
Excellent memoir by a man who was a youth in Hungary during WWII. And he was Jewish. Quite wrenching. I wish I knew the geography and political history of the Eastern bloc better, as I would have been able to relate better. But the perspective of having your country turn on you - so hard to read, and how surreal it must have been for those who experienced it.
Mar 10, 2008
Teresa
rated it:
Good commentary of being Jewish and a child during World War II in Hungary. Love his cantor about the reality of the situation and his ability not to gloss over the negative points. Does jump around a bit, from past to present to incidents that happen before the beginning of the story. Parts are difficult to read.
Jan 30, 2008
Melanie
rated it:
This was a recomendation from another website and i wasnt sure but gave it ago anyway. I ended up really liking it.
Its hard to say you really enjoy something when the content is
so harsh but the almost comedic surrealism in its approach makes the events bearable to read about.
Its hard to say you really enjoy something when the content is
so harsh but the almost comedic surrealism in its approach makes the events bearable to read about.
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