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The Flower Show and the Toth Family
This book contains two novellas in one volume by Istvan Orkeny. In the Flower Show (1977)--the author exploits our universal unease in the face of death, the desire to 'star' taken to its ultimate absurdity by playing the lead in one's own demise, and the voyeurism of the modern media. In the Toth Family (1967), a mad army major on leave terrorizes a village fireman and his family, forcing them to cut and fold endless quantities of cardboard packing boxes every night until dawn.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
About the author
István Örkény
77 books75 followersIstván Örkény was a Hungarian writer. A typical feature of his plays and novels is satiric view and creation of grotesque situations.
Born in Budapest, the son of a pharmacist, Örkény studied chemical engineering after leaving school and then turned to pharmacy, graduating from Budapest University in 1934. He travelled to London in 1938 and lived in Paris from casual work in 1939. In 1940, he continued his studies at Budapest Technical University, where he graduated in chemical engineering. He was sent to the front on labour service in 1942 and taken prisoner of war in 1943. On his return to Hungary in 1946, he worked as a drama editor for a theatre company. In 1954, he began working as an outside editor for the Szépirodalmi (Literary) publishing company. Although Örkény attempted to meet the requirements of the officially sanctioned Socialist Realism, his short story 'Violet Ink' was attacked by the ideologue József Révai. Örkény took part in the opposition meetings of writers. On September 17, 1956, at the general assembly of the Writers' Union where the first secret elections were held since 1948, Örkény was among the party and non-party opposition writers elected onto a new board. When the revolution broke out, he phrased a statement condemning the role hitherto played by the radio, in which the following sentence became a household word: 'We have lied by night, we have lied by day, we have lied on every wavelength.' He took part in workers' council meetings with Tibor Déry. On November 10, he and fellow writers Déry, Gyula Illyés, László Benjámin and Zoltán Zelk sought asylum at the Polish Embassy in Budapest, but they were only offered temporary refuge and left the building after a few hours. As a member and interpreter for the Writers' Union delegation, he met with K.P.S. Menon, the Indian ambassador in Budapest, whom they sought as an intermediary between Hungary and the Soviet Union. He and five associates signed an open letter of self-criticism, which appeared in September 1957, in the first issue of the literary journal Kortárs (Contemporary), covering their conduct before and during the revolution. However, he was squeezed out of the literary scene in 1957 and subjected to several publication bans. Örkény worked from 1958 to 1963 at the United Pharmaceutical and Nutriment Factory. In the second half of the 1960s, his books were allowed to appear again and his plays were performed. In 1966, his book The Princess of Jerusalem appeared, including his first cycle of 'one-minute' stories and his novella 'Cat's Play'. His absurd drama The Tót Family was a huge success in 1967.
Born in Budapest, the son of a pharmacist, Örkény studied chemical engineering after leaving school and then turned to pharmacy, graduating from Budapest University in 1934. He travelled to London in 1938 and lived in Paris from casual work in 1939. In 1940, he continued his studies at Budapest Technical University, where he graduated in chemical engineering. He was sent to the front on labour service in 1942 and taken prisoner of war in 1943. On his return to Hungary in 1946, he worked as a drama editor for a theatre company. In 1954, he began working as an outside editor for the Szépirodalmi (Literary) publishing company. Although Örkény attempted to meet the requirements of the officially sanctioned Socialist Realism, his short story 'Violet Ink' was attacked by the ideologue József Révai. Örkény took part in the opposition meetings of writers. On September 17, 1956, at the general assembly of the Writers' Union where the first secret elections were held since 1948, Örkény was among the party and non-party opposition writers elected onto a new board. When the revolution broke out, he phrased a statement condemning the role hitherto played by the radio, in which the following sentence became a household word: 'We have lied by night, we have lied by day, we have lied on every wavelength.' He took part in workers' council meetings with Tibor Déry. On November 10, he and fellow writers Déry, Gyula Illyés, László Benjámin and Zoltán Zelk sought asylum at the Polish Embassy in Budapest, but they were only offered temporary refuge and left the building after a few hours. As a member and interpreter for the Writers' Union delegation, he met with K.P.S. Menon, the Indian ambassador in Budapest, whom they sought as an intermediary between Hungary and the Soviet Union. He and five associates signed an open letter of self-criticism, which appeared in September 1957, in the first issue of the literary journal Kortárs (Contemporary), covering their conduct before and during the revolution. However, he was squeezed out of the literary scene in 1957 and subjected to several publication bans. Örkény worked from 1958 to 1963 at the United Pharmaceutical and Nutriment Factory. In the second half of the 1960s, his books were allowed to appear again and his plays were performed. In 1966, his book The Princess of Jerusalem appeared, including his first cycle of 'one-minute' stories and his novella 'Cat's Play'. His absurd drama The Tót Family was a huge success in 1967.
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April 2, 2019
Two novellas of about 80 pages each. I guess I’ve been bingeing on Hungarian authors lately. The author (1912-1979) is called in the blurbs a “master of the grotesque” and black comedy. He satirizes Hungary of the early 1940’s as a nationalistic, quasi-feudal, caste-ridden society that easily acquiesced to Nazi rule. He wrote Toth in 1967 and Flower Show in 1977, so maybe the implication is that the nation easily acquiesced also to communist rule. Although a Jew, he survived the War after being sent to a forced labor camp in the Soviet Union.
The introduction by the one of the two translators tells us that the author’s forte is to pinpoint the absurdities of modern life that we accept as normal.
The Flower Show (1977) is a very good story and very modern. It’s about a film director who sets out to interview three people who are dying but it ends up being about how reporting the new influences the news; in this case how the act of filming influenced the way they died and the attitudes of the people who died.
The Toth Family (1967) is a farce. The fire chief of a small town lives in a scenic mountain area where families rent out rooms to tourists. Their son in the army sends his commanding office to visit for a few weeks of R&R. Knowing how influential the officer can be over their son’s well-being, they turn their life upside down to accommodate the major. The major is crazy. He has them construct cardboard boxes for hours each day. It turns into a Marx Brothers comedy, funny at first but drags on way too long.
The Toth Family is good; I’ll give it a ‘4;’ the other is a weaker story, a “3.” So, all in all I rounded to 4.
Photo of the Matre Range in northern Hungary along the Slovakia border from worldatlas.com
Photo of the author from wikipedia
The introduction by the one of the two translators tells us that the author’s forte is to pinpoint the absurdities of modern life that we accept as normal.
The Flower Show (1977) is a very good story and very modern. It’s about a film director who sets out to interview three people who are dying but it ends up being about how reporting the new influences the news; in this case how the act of filming influenced the way they died and the attitudes of the people who died.
The Toth Family (1967) is a farce. The fire chief of a small town lives in a scenic mountain area where families rent out rooms to tourists. Their son in the army sends his commanding office to visit for a few weeks of R&R. Knowing how influential the officer can be over their son’s well-being, they turn their life upside down to accommodate the major. The major is crazy. He has them construct cardboard boxes for hours each day. It turns into a Marx Brothers comedy, funny at first but drags on way too long.
The Toth Family is good; I’ll give it a ‘4;’ the other is a weaker story, a “3.” So, all in all I rounded to 4.
Photo of the Matre Range in northern Hungary along the Slovakia border from worldatlas.com
Photo of the author from wikipedia
March 1, 2012
I don't think I could have enjoyed the Toth Family any more. Not since Hogan's Heros have I had such fun watching someone take the piss out of military leadership. A short and stupid military man spends two weeks driving a family insane as a severely funny sequence of mishaps unravels like a well-written Hollywood plot. Poor poor Mr. Toth is like every father that wants some peace, love and probably a few beers and to otherwise be left-alone. This of course will not do for the major who demands constant modifications for those he does not see living up to their potential. The family, but mostly Mr. Toth is reduced to absurdities such as jumping imagination puddles, keeping a flashlight in his mouth to avoid snoring and eventually moving into to his outhouse to find peace. Orkeny reminds me a bit of Zoschenko at times as he wields a rapier like wit that reduces the overbearing to fine shreds - all the time revealing his dangerous anti-establishment message. Just as funny as tragic - the whole story unfolds over the backdrop of a son killed at war. Both the major and the Toth family are unaware of the boy's death and their pettiness is drawn in contrast to the horrible tragedy of a life lost too young. Can you draw a more powerful image of absurdity? Kharms too can hardly be avoided when considering such absurd declamations against oppression - and at times you might also be waiting for Toth to eat the entire tray of butter with one mouthful. Not many books make me laugh out loud - this one did many times - and at the same time reminded me of what the cost of war in Eastern Europe was for many Hungarians.
The Flower Show is humorous but nowhere near as uproarious, nor was it intended to be, as The Toth Family. Instead, The Flower Show is about a man filming people's last moments for a documentary. The media was a less fertile ground for mockery than the military in 1966 - and I can only imagine what Orkeny would have written in response to our current reality of imbedded reporters and equally hilarious dictators at least.
Both works mock - but they are never cynical or reactionary. Orkeny pleases with laughter and delivers his more serious messages with tact and grace. We need more writers like Orkeny - Hollywood especially.
The Flower Show is humorous but nowhere near as uproarious, nor was it intended to be, as The Toth Family. Instead, The Flower Show is about a man filming people's last moments for a documentary. The media was a less fertile ground for mockery than the military in 1966 - and I can only imagine what Orkeny would have written in response to our current reality of imbedded reporters and equally hilarious dictators at least.
Both works mock - but they are never cynical or reactionary. Orkeny pleases with laughter and delivers his more serious messages with tact and grace. We need more writers like Orkeny - Hollywood especially.
May 4, 2011
this was great. superior satire/absurdist writing from a central european standpoint. smart, funny, earthy. contains two novellas: "the flower show" is flat-out brilliant. a tv documentary that films the last moments of three different subjects. think kafka meets the polish director kieslowski. "the toth family" is equally impressive and more allegorical. think kafka meets chekhov. recommend without a hint of reservation.
September 30, 2021
caótico, grotesco e absurdo. mas muito bom
January 12, 2023
isso aqui é uma coisa espetacular. a morte é algo que me interessa faz algum tempo, principalmente em momentos de importante bebedeira. quando bêbado, a morte é simples, cotidiana. meses atrás pensei que fosse morrer de verdade, e toda vez que acordava sóbrio, imaginava que teria diagnóstico terrível e que iria morrer em curto período de tempo. felizmente não aconteceu. quando a senhora mikó se entusiasma, eufórica, vendo a exposição das rosas em um concurso internacional, não erra sequer o lugar de cada uma delas - esta, de região tal da frança, aquela, de tal lugar - e com uma reclamação impertinente acerca da má exibição por parte da tv.
estou triste em pensar que no momento da chegada da morte, o que nos dará a euforia do suporte ao sublime será algo cotidiano tão filho da puta quanto o TRABALHO. a senhora mikó, embaladora de rosas numa empresa produtora, teve seu ápice antes do suspiro final a partir de um pequeno trecho (5 minutos) exibido na televisão que estava diretamente ligada ao labor. espero morrer em paz, e paz não existe quando existe trabalho.
diretamente, ligada ao produto.
estou triste em pensar que no momento da chegada da morte, o que nos dará a euforia do suporte ao sublime será algo cotidiano tão filho da puta quanto o TRABALHO. a senhora mikó, embaladora de rosas numa empresa produtora, teve seu ápice antes do suspiro final a partir de um pequeno trecho (5 minutos) exibido na televisão que estava diretamente ligada ao labor. espero morrer em paz, e paz não existe quando existe trabalho.
diretamente, ligada ao produto.
August 22, 2008
This was great! Just read it on the beach in Croatia! Hungarian, dark humor, 2 ridiculous stories, one about a person making documentary film of people's death, the other about a family forced to put up their son's lunatic commanding officer. They must cater to his insane whims, such as making boxes all night every night or their son will be in the line of fire. The father finally takes refuge in the outhouse... Very nice.
November 3, 2025
Duas novelas.
Em A Família Tóth temos uma 'comédia' familiar, onde acompanhamos um família simples que mora numa região relativamente pobre e pacata da Hungria. Parece que estamos em algum momento dos conflitos entre a Hungria e a União Soviética, não está bem claro quando. O fator motivador da comédia é a chegada de um hóspede à casa da família: o major do regimento do filho deles. Existe, assim, a grande intenção de agradar este hóspede para que isso se reverta em benefícios ao filho. Porém, o conflito de hábitos do major e da família começam a gerar alguns problemas cômicos. Sempre se aproximando de um constrangimento sem sentido com coisas sem real importância. Vemos, devido à pressão, o pai da família perdendo de pouco a pouco o juízo. E o narrador, que conduz a história com tremenda ironia e cinismo, resolve dizer-nos que nem faz sentido ele ficar mal, afinal, não tinha nenhum problema que [...]. Algo que vai se acumulando um pouco.
Gostei do tamanho da novela, pois quando comecei a achar que ela corria o risco de perder o ânimo, temos uma mudança de tom. Ou seja, ele aproveita o lúdico enquanto é possível aproveitar, e não insiste com isso a ponto de se tornar tedioso (que é minha crítica principal às viagens de Gulliver, por exemplo...)
Uma frase que adorei no livro, e que só será compreensível àquele que ler a história é: "Em três pedaços! Não... em quatro pedaços iguais. Vai me dizer que não fiz bem?"
Já na novela "A exposição das rosas" vemos algo inusitado, um diretor que deseja fazer um filme-documentário sobre a morte, gravando os últimos momentos de vida de algumas pessoas. Achei a proposta em si interessante, é um memento mori interessante essa reflexão. E talvez eu encare essa novela de modo diferente daqui a 20, 40 ou 60 anos. Será que a idade me fará ver de modo mais cômico? Ou achar uma piada de mau gosto? Por enquanto, achei divertido.
Um outro aspecto interessante nesta novela é que começamos com a ideia da morte ser representada de modo verdadeiro. Mas cada uma das histórias mostra uma contradição. No primeiro, ao invés de vermos o falecido, ouvimos da viúva. No segundo, a primeira cena gravada é evidentemente uma encenação, não a realidade objetiva. No terceiro, quem está sendo observado acaba afundando no pensamento da própria morte de modo hipocondriáco. Assim, nenhuma das três mortes é capturada de modo cru, sincero e objetivo. A cãmera interferiu na realidade, modificando-a. E isso já tinha sido anunciado por um comentário antes
"Você havia me dito que o seu projeto engloba poesia, ciência, filosofia. Meu amigo, isso é um engano. Primeiro, porque morremos de maneira repentina e feia, enquanto a poesia é beleza e composição. Segundo: um único evento não é filosofia; é apenas aquilo que pode ser generalizado a partir do próprio fato. Portanto, não faz sentido. E não é ciência tampouco, porque a física moderna concluiu que a observação de um fenômeno discreto e de pequenas dimensões acaba tendo o seu curso deformado pelos instrumentos que possibilitam a própria observação. Em outras palavras: eu morreria de maneira muito diferente diante das câmeras ou na presença de Aranka"
Em A Família Tóth temos uma 'comédia' familiar, onde acompanhamos um família simples que mora numa região relativamente pobre e pacata da Hungria. Parece que estamos em algum momento dos conflitos entre a Hungria e a União Soviética, não está bem claro quando. O fator motivador da comédia é a chegada de um hóspede à casa da família: o major do regimento do filho deles. Existe, assim, a grande intenção de agradar este hóspede para que isso se reverta em benefícios ao filho. Porém, o conflito de hábitos do major e da família começam a gerar alguns problemas cômicos. Sempre se aproximando de um constrangimento sem sentido com coisas sem real importância. Vemos, devido à pressão, o pai da família perdendo de pouco a pouco o juízo. E o narrador, que conduz a história com tremenda ironia e cinismo, resolve dizer-nos que nem faz sentido ele ficar mal, afinal, não tinha nenhum problema que [...]. Algo que vai se acumulando um pouco.
Gostei do tamanho da novela, pois quando comecei a achar que ela corria o risco de perder o ânimo, temos uma mudança de tom. Ou seja, ele aproveita o lúdico enquanto é possível aproveitar, e não insiste com isso a ponto de se tornar tedioso (que é minha crítica principal às viagens de Gulliver, por exemplo...)
Uma frase que adorei no livro, e que só será compreensível àquele que ler a história é: "Em três pedaços! Não... em quatro pedaços iguais. Vai me dizer que não fiz bem?"
Já na novela "A exposição das rosas" vemos algo inusitado, um diretor que deseja fazer um filme-documentário sobre a morte, gravando os últimos momentos de vida de algumas pessoas. Achei a proposta em si interessante, é um memento mori interessante essa reflexão. E talvez eu encare essa novela de modo diferente daqui a 20, 40 ou 60 anos. Será que a idade me fará ver de modo mais cômico? Ou achar uma piada de mau gosto? Por enquanto, achei divertido.
Um outro aspecto interessante nesta novela é que começamos com a ideia da morte ser representada de modo verdadeiro. Mas cada uma das histórias mostra uma contradição. No primeiro, ao invés de vermos o falecido, ouvimos da viúva. No segundo, a primeira cena gravada é evidentemente uma encenação, não a realidade objetiva. No terceiro, quem está sendo observado acaba afundando no pensamento da própria morte de modo hipocondriáco. Assim, nenhuma das três mortes é capturada de modo cru, sincero e objetivo. A cãmera interferiu na realidade, modificando-a. E isso já tinha sido anunciado por um comentário antes
"Você havia me dito que o seu projeto engloba poesia, ciência, filosofia. Meu amigo, isso é um engano. Primeiro, porque morremos de maneira repentina e feia, enquanto a poesia é beleza e composição. Segundo: um único evento não é filosofia; é apenas aquilo que pode ser generalizado a partir do próprio fato. Portanto, não faz sentido. E não é ciência tampouco, porque a física moderna concluiu que a observação de um fenômeno discreto e de pequenas dimensões acaba tendo o seu curso deformado pelos instrumentos que possibilitam a própria observação. Em outras palavras: eu morreria de maneira muito diferente diante das câmeras ou na presença de Aranka"
May 26, 2024
Kui jätta kõrvale see, et raamat ilmus suure trükiarvuga aastal 1983, kandes seega paratamatult nõuka-aegseid rõhuasetusi ja olles oma ajastu peegel, siis kummalisel Pikri-laadsel viisil on see valimik hästi tõlgitud ja kohati isegi turtsuma ajavt naljakas. Tothide painav vajadus teenindada ja meeldida (oma poja nimel, keele surmast nad pole veel teada saanud, sest postiljon jumaldab nende pereisa ja viskab seetõttu kõik halvad teated vihmaveetünni) viib groteskini; vanainimeste läheduseigatsus armukolmnurgani (kas ka grotesk? Või inimlik magusvalu?). Ei soovita, aga meeldis.
August 11, 2022
Adorei o humor e o jeito sutil escancarado de tratar as temáticas. Senti exatamente a literatura do absurdo muito bem executada, deixando aquela sensação de aparvalhamento e com o tempo te fazendo um tanto insensível à quantidade de absurdos em sequência. Te faz questionar absolutamente tudo e sentir que o mundo não tem uma pedra sólida para se pisar (exatamente igual à pessoa que me recomendou o livro).
October 5, 2022
About the Toth family: What a surprising little gem! There's the life of poor people in Hungary during war against Russia, there's unbridled humor and a very, I mean VERY shocking and satisfying end.
The Flower Show is more irregular, with a weak ending - and believe me this is ironic as there was a lot of build up for that , considering it's a story about a filmmaker that wants to record the death of three people. A page-turner and a quick read. Solid 4 stars.
The Flower Show is more irregular, with a weak ending - and believe me this is ironic as there was a lot of build up for that , considering it's a story about a filmmaker that wants to record the death of three people. A page-turner and a quick read. Solid 4 stars.
January 23, 2020
eu ri.
são duas histórias com pessoas que se comportam mal durante situações insustentáveis.
o humor vem do desconforto e do desespero alheio com o absurdo.
tentei contar o que era engraçado e não consegui, tem que ler mesmo.
leitura rápida e fluida.
recomendo para adultos amargos.
são duas histórias com pessoas que se comportam mal durante situações insustentáveis.
o humor vem do desconforto e do desespero alheio com o absurdo.
tentei contar o que era engraçado e não consegui, tem que ler mesmo.
leitura rápida e fluida.
recomendo para adultos amargos.
January 8, 2026
Sou fã da Coleção Leste da Editora 34 e esse foi o segundo título de escritor húngaro que eu li. Não sabia o que esperar do livro, mas adorei! Duas histórias curtas, com um humor meio nonsense e absurdo e que te deixam querendo saber o que vai acontecer.
June 22, 2017
Família Toth é 5 estrelas, A Exposição das Rosas é 4.
January 23, 2018
Two great stories, but even beyond that, it was worth it for the final two pages.
September 26, 2020
Two excellent Hungarian novellas, quite different in tone but not in quality.
February 22, 2013
"The Flower Show" was a highly enjoyable novel. Its brevity made it a quick read, while the content left nothing to be desired. The novel offered a fascinating perspective on a topic that appears in almost every piece of literature and every dime-store novel that has ever been published in any country ever. That's right, the novel focused heavily on death. There is a freshness in Örkény's perspective, however, in that he uses an aspiring filmmaker making a documentary about death as a device through which to delve into the topic. The documentary's characters have well-defined personalities considering how little time they actually are alive for the novel. They were all extremely relatable. However with Aron, the main character, I had a couple issues. I admire his drive, creativity, and innovative mind, but there were also instances where I was put off by his ability to completely separate death from the emotions that typically are associated with it. This may not be a problem with Aron, however, because the novel as a whole seeks an understanding of death without necessarily acknowledging the emotions surrounding it. This was a different approach to acknowledging death from what I have normally read. What is most interesting to me about this book is how applicable it is to the human experience in general. This is especially interesting considering that I read the book for my Contemporary Fiction from Eastern Europe class. Nothing about the novel struck me as particularly European, but it appeared on the syllabus nonetheless. That is a question I will have to investigate further!
"The Toth Family" is a work that I found both entertaining and frustrating. The characters are comical in their actions, reactions, comments, flaws, etc. And yet at the same time the funny moments frustrated me because they were blithely impractical. Honestly, who is ever going to believe that someone clearly enunciates "Honorable major, it is a quarter to one." and the recipient of the statement hears "Go screw your sweet old grandmother in the ears."? That is the way the comedy of this novella unfolds, and for what it is worth it is funny, but it makes absolutely no sense. For me, humor is best when it is realistic. Of course, a bit of exaggerated slapstick comedy is hilarious, but this novel carries the exaggeration to the extreme. The result is a cast of characters who are completely unrealistic, and a set of societal standards of behavior that are completely unpredictable and even downright ludicrous. It is a good book to read for a nice laugh, but if you are looking for real-world relevance you will be disappointed. I am also frustrated that the reader is aware of issues that the characters are not, such as the fact that the postman is throwing away the letters he feels are not in the Toths' best interest. There is no resolution whatsoever to this conflict; none of the characters ever knew about the news that was being hidden from them, and so why was it even brought up to begin with? It brought absolutely nothing to the reading, and just added to my frustration. Finally, the contradictions that drive the novel made no sense whatsoever. At one point, when the psychiatrist suggests Toth bends his knees so that he will not be so much taller than Major Varro, the major approves of the change because it makes Toth seem a whole head taller than usual! Contradictions are an awesome way to drive a book, but only when they are in the form of juxtapositions that enhance the meaning through analytical tricks. I felt as if this book threw in some contradictions for the sake of humor, and in this case they contributed nothing to the meaning of the text and ultimately fell flat as literary devices. If anything they made it more confusing. It is possible that I approached the novella with too realistic of a mindset, but I still do not see it as being good for anything but a cheap laugh.
"The Toth Family" is a work that I found both entertaining and frustrating. The characters are comical in their actions, reactions, comments, flaws, etc. And yet at the same time the funny moments frustrated me because they were blithely impractical. Honestly, who is ever going to believe that someone clearly enunciates "Honorable major, it is a quarter to one." and the recipient of the statement hears "Go screw your sweet old grandmother in the ears."? That is the way the comedy of this novella unfolds, and for what it is worth it is funny, but it makes absolutely no sense. For me, humor is best when it is realistic. Of course, a bit of exaggerated slapstick comedy is hilarious, but this novel carries the exaggeration to the extreme. The result is a cast of characters who are completely unrealistic, and a set of societal standards of behavior that are completely unpredictable and even downright ludicrous. It is a good book to read for a nice laugh, but if you are looking for real-world relevance you will be disappointed. I am also frustrated that the reader is aware of issues that the characters are not, such as the fact that the postman is throwing away the letters he feels are not in the Toths' best interest. There is no resolution whatsoever to this conflict; none of the characters ever knew about the news that was being hidden from them, and so why was it even brought up to begin with? It brought absolutely nothing to the reading, and just added to my frustration. Finally, the contradictions that drive the novel made no sense whatsoever. At one point, when the psychiatrist suggests Toth bends his knees so that he will not be so much taller than Major Varro, the major approves of the change because it makes Toth seem a whole head taller than usual! Contradictions are an awesome way to drive a book, but only when they are in the form of juxtapositions that enhance the meaning through analytical tricks. I felt as if this book threw in some contradictions for the sake of humor, and in this case they contributed nothing to the meaning of the text and ultimately fell flat as literary devices. If anything they made it more confusing. It is possible that I approached the novella with too realistic of a mindset, but I still do not see it as being good for anything but a cheap laugh.
September 2, 2015
This author predicted reality TV to the extreme: trying to "direct" someone who is dying. Also, a family tries to take care of their son's insane military commander in hopes he'll take care of their son... not realizing that sadly there is actually no point. One of these stories was made into an Hungarian movie decades ago... it could easily be made into a dark comedy today.
May 2, 2017
The Toth Family is a sheer representation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
January 31, 2019
A grotesque and absurd play, remarkably humorous and comical at times. Behind the burlesque milieu, however, a profound study of authoritarian and totalitarian ideologies, and of authority and power in general comes to light in, turning Örkény's masterpiece into a serious essay about society and human nature in the 20th century.
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