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The Case Worker
The daily routine of a man in charge of children at a state welfare organization and the demands that are made upon him are depicted in this novel set in present day Hungary.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
11 people are currently reading
1427 people want to read
About the author
George Konrád
61 books45 followersaka György Konrád
George Konrád was a Hungarian novelist and essayist. Konrád was born in Berettyóújfalu, near Debrecen into an affluent Jewish family. He graduated in 1951 from the Madách Secondary School in Budapest, entered the Lenin Institute and eventually studied literature, sociology and psychology at Eötvös Loránd University. In 1956 he participated in the Hungarian Uprising against the Soviet occupation.
George Konrád was a Hungarian novelist and essayist. Konrád was born in Berettyóújfalu, near Debrecen into an affluent Jewish family. He graduated in 1951 from the Madách Secondary School in Budapest, entered the Lenin Institute and eventually studied literature, sociology and psychology at Eötvös Loránd University. In 1956 he participated in the Hungarian Uprising against the Soviet occupation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 9, 2009
I recently heard of a man who, as a very deliberate exercise in recognizing the oneness of all beings, sat in the office of a lockdown mental institution, or perhaps it was a prison, and read every patient’s file, “owning” every atrocious act and the underlying pain-motivations committed by the “untouchables, the maladjusted, the waste products” (101) segregated by society—in essence, healing that part of himself reflected by these people. The story goes that within three months every patient/prisoner was released.
Konrad is engaged in a similar kind of healing, acknowledging his superficial position of detachment on “the other side of the desk” (30), but proceeding to “metamorphose” into one of his castaway clients—living out the day-to-day life (if only in his head) of Bandula, in his home, with his child. He slips into other clients’ bodies and consciousness as well, not only by telling their stories but by physically uniting with Anna the prostitute (“I am her body; it is I tripping down the stairs on her toes deformed by ill-fitting shoes…” [153:]). By “coming to understand Bandula more and more clearly, and coming to understand why no one had the right to come between him and the child” (164), Konrad’s narrator becomes Bandula, and every other case he has overseen with desensitized carelessness, disgust, sympathy, horror, superiority, “professional” distance, and ultimately a sense of helpless futility. He transgresses the border between “us” and “them,” much like Coetzee did by involving himself with the barbarian girl.
This is a brilliant book on so many levels. It resonates on issues of industrialization, personal and social responsibility, the tendency of humans to identify as victims, the tendency of societies to set up structures separating the “good” (those who function competently in industrial life) and the “bad” (those who can’t or won’t). Though the narrator in the end is returning to his position on the official side of the desk, to hear and resolve or ignore and fail to change the grievances of society’s miscreants, he ends on an invitation: like a true Lady Liberty he welcomes “all those come who want to; one of us will talk, the other will listen; at least we shall be together.” A shift in consciousness does not necessarily mean that the appearance of one’s circumstances or vocation changes. The narrator is a case worker; that is what he does. But now he is offering something akin to connection, an ear infused with empathy.
Konrad is engaged in a similar kind of healing, acknowledging his superficial position of detachment on “the other side of the desk” (30), but proceeding to “metamorphose” into one of his castaway clients—living out the day-to-day life (if only in his head) of Bandula, in his home, with his child. He slips into other clients’ bodies and consciousness as well, not only by telling their stories but by physically uniting with Anna the prostitute (“I am her body; it is I tripping down the stairs on her toes deformed by ill-fitting shoes…” [153:]). By “coming to understand Bandula more and more clearly, and coming to understand why no one had the right to come between him and the child” (164), Konrad’s narrator becomes Bandula, and every other case he has overseen with desensitized carelessness, disgust, sympathy, horror, superiority, “professional” distance, and ultimately a sense of helpless futility. He transgresses the border between “us” and “them,” much like Coetzee did by involving himself with the barbarian girl.
This is a brilliant book on so many levels. It resonates on issues of industrialization, personal and social responsibility, the tendency of humans to identify as victims, the tendency of societies to set up structures separating the “good” (those who function competently in industrial life) and the “bad” (those who can’t or won’t). Though the narrator in the end is returning to his position on the official side of the desk, to hear and resolve or ignore and fail to change the grievances of society’s miscreants, he ends on an invitation: like a true Lady Liberty he welcomes “all those come who want to; one of us will talk, the other will listen; at least we shall be together.” A shift in consciousness does not necessarily mean that the appearance of one’s circumstances or vocation changes. The narrator is a case worker; that is what he does. But now he is offering something akin to connection, an ear infused with empathy.
May 28, 2013
A great, and I thought, neglected book. I don't know about modern day Hungary though. Pretty sure I read in the seventies and no later than the early 80's. Is that still modern day. I guess from a historical basis it was like yesterday. At the time I read it, I had a job that made it easy to relate to it.
June 12, 2024
« laat al diegenen komen die dat willen - een van ons zal spreken, de ander zal luisteren, en in elk geval zijn we niet alleen. »
Ik heb nog maar zelden een boek gelezen dat me zowel vormelijk als inhoudelijk zo vasthield, zo deed smullen. De zinnen zijn parels, het verhaal is donkergrijs, het boek stoot af en trekt onwaarschijnlijk hard aan. Konrád is een opmerkelijk schrijver, bij momenten voelde het alsof ik een werkelijkheid-geworden ideaal heb gevonden (al is dat een grote uitspraak).
Met andere woorden: wat een boek!
Ik heb nog maar zelden een boek gelezen dat me zowel vormelijk als inhoudelijk zo vasthield, zo deed smullen. De zinnen zijn parels, het verhaal is donkergrijs, het boek stoot af en trekt onwaarschijnlijk hard aan. Konrád is een opmerkelijk schrijver, bij momenten voelde het alsof ik een werkelijkheid-geworden ideaal heb gevonden (al is dat een grote uitspraak).
Met andere woorden: wat een boek!
September 16, 2019
To be honest: this was a really difficult read. But so rewarding! Konrad is writing about the human condition and it isn't an attractive picture he offers; no, this novel is describing a very dark, cold world, set in a modern city (Budapest is only a nameless role model), through the eyes of a social worker (comrad T.) who handles cases of child abuse, abandoned children and other horrible, insane situations in which children are involved. This world is cruel, inhumane and senseless, but our social worker has an extraordinary compassion for all these poor, deformed creatures. He's not an idealist, no, his gift is that he sees beyond the social conventions, and he knows insanity and deprivation are just other ways of looking at reality, in some way even more pure.
Reading this novel, it reminded me of Dante's Divine Comedy, and Camus' The Plague. But, as I said, it is a though read, because Konrad often uses very long sentences full of descriptions of objects, situations and actions. In all in all not the great novel I expected it to be, but nevertheless a quite rewarding read.
Reading this novel, it reminded me of Dante's Divine Comedy, and Camus' The Plague. But, as I said, it is a though read, because Konrad often uses very long sentences full of descriptions of objects, situations and actions. In all in all not the great novel I expected it to be, but nevertheless a quite rewarding read.
August 2, 2022
4,5*
De departe cea mai dură carte pe care am citit-o până acum.
Protagonistul lucrează ca asistent social, ocupându-se îndeosebi de copii ce provin din medii defavorizate și de familiile acestora. Nu avem parte de multă acțiune, ci mai degrabă de descrieri foarte grafice și relatări ale unor întâmplări obișnuite pentru slujba sa, dar neobișnuite pentru lumea din exterior. Naratorul pare să trateze totul cu o luciditate ieșită din comun, menținându-și totuși empatia, la o limită care să îi permită să nu înnebunească.
Partea ce m-a atins cel mai puternic din carte a fost cea în care naratorul a oferit imaginea lumii văzută din perspectiva celui ajutat, cel care trăia în mizerie, undeva în afara limitelor moralității și care se vedea neputincios să scape, dar și fără dorința de a scăpa. Momentul în care cel ce ajută se implică într-atât încât devine el cel ajutat e marcant și ne ajută să încercăm să privim mai în profunzime, pe atât cât se poate înțelege raționamentul din spatele alegerii de a-ți crește din iubire copilul ca pe un animal, în timp ce și tu trăiești printre fecale și plăceri carnale la fel de animalice. Totodată, presiunea morală sub care se află asistentul social este și ea de menționat. Atunci când puterea și interesul guvernului de a ajuta lasă mult de dorit și rămâne la latitudinea ta să decizi soarta unor oameni, știind că pentru salvarea unora trebuie realizat sacrificiul altora, momentul în care vei ceda nu e departe.
Autorul a ocupat el însuși un post asemănător timp de 7 ani, vreme în care a putut să-și adune inspirație pentru această carte care este și prima pe care o publică. Aptitudinile scriitoricești sunt totuși mai mult decât evidente. Poate lucrul care ar da de gol faptul că romanul este unul de debut ar fi graba cu care autorul pare că vrea să spună totul, să nu lase nicio amintire neatinsă, nemaicontând atât de mult structurarea cărții.
De departe cea mai dură carte pe care am citit-o până acum.
Protagonistul lucrează ca asistent social, ocupându-se îndeosebi de copii ce provin din medii defavorizate și de familiile acestora. Nu avem parte de multă acțiune, ci mai degrabă de descrieri foarte grafice și relatări ale unor întâmplări obișnuite pentru slujba sa, dar neobișnuite pentru lumea din exterior. Naratorul pare să trateze totul cu o luciditate ieșită din comun, menținându-și totuși empatia, la o limită care să îi permită să nu înnebunească.
Partea ce m-a atins cel mai puternic din carte a fost cea în care naratorul a oferit imaginea lumii văzută din perspectiva celui ajutat, cel care trăia în mizerie, undeva în afara limitelor moralității și care se vedea neputincios să scape, dar și fără dorința de a scăpa. Momentul în care cel ce ajută se implică într-atât încât devine el cel ajutat e marcant și ne ajută să încercăm să privim mai în profunzime, pe atât cât se poate înțelege raționamentul din spatele alegerii de a-ți crește din iubire copilul ca pe un animal, în timp ce și tu trăiești printre fecale și plăceri carnale la fel de animalice. Totodată, presiunea morală sub care se află asistentul social este și ea de menționat. Atunci când puterea și interesul guvernului de a ajuta lasă mult de dorit și rămâne la latitudinea ta să decizi soarta unor oameni, știind că pentru salvarea unora trebuie realizat sacrificiul altora, momentul în care vei ceda nu e departe.
Autorul a ocupat el însuși un post asemănător timp de 7 ani, vreme în care a putut să-și adune inspirație pentru această carte care este și prima pe care o publică. Aptitudinile scriitoricești sunt totuși mai mult decât evidente. Poate lucrul care ar da de gol faptul că romanul este unul de debut ar fi graba cu care autorul pare că vrea să spună totul, să nu lase nicio amintire neatinsă, nemaicontând atât de mult structurarea cărții.
October 11, 2022
A sad, depressing, brutal, powerful, interesting, well written debut novel about a Hungarian social worker, the narrator, whose job is to resolve the problems of human failure, social friction and abnormal behaviour in relation to the welfare of children. The writing style is vivid, describing the misery and hardships of the working class. As the novel progresses the narrator is affected by the misery and finds himself solely caring for a retarded, fully dependent four year old boy.
The author worked as a superintendent in a welfare organization for seven years in Budapest.
This book was first published in Hungarian in 1969. The novel drew a vigorous and mixed response. Official criticism was negative, but the book quickly became popular and sold out in days.
The author worked as a superintendent in a welfare organization for seven years in Budapest.
This book was first published in Hungarian in 1969. The novel drew a vigorous and mixed response. Official criticism was negative, but the book quickly became popular and sold out in days.
October 11, 2019
A nyelvezete lenyűgöző; Konrád igazi formaművész: ez a barokkosan burjánzó, ugyanakkor tökéletesen precíz próza párját ritkítja. A látletet, amit a hatvanas évek Budapestjéről (s kisebb mértékben a vidékről) nyújt, Tar Sándor depressziós rettenetét előlegezi.
De Mester - kérdem én - miért kell a nemzeti nyomor szinte minden aspektusát egyetlen, kétszáz oldalas kiáltványban felleltározni? Minden második mondatba új életmorzsát beleszuszakolni? Ennek a kaleidoszkópnak a fele is elég lett volna, felhígítva másfélszeresére.
Erős, kegyetlen szöveg, de úgy fest, mint önmaga tartalomjegyzéke. Ezért az egy csillag levonás.
De Mester - kérdem én - miért kell a nemzeti nyomor szinte minden aspektusát egyetlen, kétszáz oldalas kiáltványban felleltározni? Minden második mondatba új életmorzsát beleszuszakolni? Ennek a kaleidoszkópnak a fele is elég lett volna, felhígítva másfélszeresére.
Erős, kegyetlen szöveg, de úgy fest, mint önmaga tartalomjegyzéke. Ezért az egy csillag levonás.
July 31, 2022
Porażające. Tego smutku nie da się łatwo pozbyć ani zagadać. Przy takich zdaniach, jakie pisze Konrad, tym boleśniej czuje się miałkość i bylejakość większości dzisiejszej „wybitnej” prozy. [Czytałem wersję polską, „Kurator”, w genialnym przekładzie Karoliny Wilamowskiej]
February 12, 2025
Belachelijk hoe goed en intens die man schrijft.
P. 46, 56, 80.
“Maanzaadkorrelgrote luchtbelletjes in het mergelsteengebergte van de hulpeloosheid: dat zijn de gemiste kansen van de vrije wil.”
“In wezen doe ik niets. Ik ben de verkeersagent van het lijden, ik draag de lasten van de enkeling over op instellingen. Het grootste deel van de tijd wacht ik alleen maar af en probeer ik te verhinderen dat iemand anders iets doet.”
Denk dat ik dat al eens over Konrád heb gezegd, maar vreselijke sekspassages, wel.
P. 46, 56, 80.
“Maanzaadkorrelgrote luchtbelletjes in het mergelsteengebergte van de hulpeloosheid: dat zijn de gemiste kansen van de vrije wil.”
“In wezen doe ik niets. Ik ben de verkeersagent van het lijden, ik draag de lasten van de enkeling over op instellingen. Het grootste deel van de tijd wacht ik alleen maar af en probeer ik te verhinderen dat iemand anders iets doet.”
Denk dat ik dat al eens over Konrád heb gezegd, maar vreselijke sekspassages, wel.
January 12, 2025
fu de kegyetlen
September 23, 2020
Relaas van een ambtenaar wiens gevoelige binnenwereld steeds intensiever komt te resoneren met de marge van de stedelijke sociale werkelijkheid. Het verhaal is compositorisch gecentreerd rondom het geval van een vijfjarig behaard bastaardkind, dat is opgesloten geraakt door het tragische lot van zijn ouders. Het losse plot ligt in de ontwikkeling van de ambtenaar die Konrád met poëtische razernij beschrijft en contextualiseert in een harde, vuile, bureautische en ogenschijnlijk zeer bestendige buitenwereld. Zijn taal is bijzonder verfijnd. Voortdurend getuigt het van op afstand doorleefde beschouwingen van hoe dingen en anderen onverzoenbaar verschijnen. p. 174.
January 20, 2016
Gyorgy Konrad's novel "The Case Worker" is incredibly bleak, but well written. I liked the book overall, even though it had some pretty disturbing scenes in it, making it a book I wouldn't particularly want to read again.
The story is set in Hungary, where a social services worker becomes very engaged with one of his clients -- a little boys whose parents have died. The boy has high special needs and no one to take care of him.
The novel is pretty gritty and a bit sad, but presents an interesting point of view. I'm glad to have read it.
The story is set in Hungary, where a social services worker becomes very engaged with one of his clients -- a little boys whose parents have died. The boy has high special needs and no one to take care of him.
The novel is pretty gritty and a bit sad, but presents an interesting point of view. I'm glad to have read it.
September 15, 2019
The Case Worker was the first Hungarian novel I read. It convinced me of two things; that political systems can't offer solutions to the deepest of human problems (how do you care for a severely mentally disabled child?) and that Hungarian literature was eorth well paying special attention to. Very sad to hear of György Konrad's death today.
June 24, 2017
Oppressive, claustrophobic novel that will leave a strong impression on you...excellent.
September 23, 2018
The sociological ‘order’ and class structuring of people masses transcends time and is not discriminated by place or culture (the actual act, not the classes). No matter what time period, people have their ‘roles’ for better or for worse. However, there is more to this than meets the eye. Hungarian novelist George Konrad explores this theme in, “The Case Worker” (translated by Paul Aston).
Konrad’s “The Case Worker” follows the day-to-day workload of an unnamed male welfare worker employed by the government in Hungary in children’s services. The story follows the administrative and interactive dealings of the lowest-of-the-low welfare situations and focuses on the sociological and psychological slant on both the worker and human-kind, in general. “The Case Worker” is a sort of stream of consciousness novel in the essence of Kafka but beautifully structured and buttoned-up.
To elaborate on this point, “The Case Worker” is a literary masterpiece. The writing/language is simply gorgeous, eloquent, detailed, and highly visual. Readers will feel the sense of a memoir rather than a novel due to the realness and descriptive nature of the text. The story is complex in that the meanderings are representative of overall cultures and civilizations and yet is neither boring nor overwhelming. This is accessibility to the work that can’t be ignored. George’s writing is delightful and sometimes even too ‘grand’ leaving readers in awe.
Nothing is lost in Aston’s translation, either. “The Case Worker” is smooth with a steady heartbeat. None of the text is ever disjointed or clunky with the entire novel being ‘relevant; in all ways, plain and simple.
George is able to remarkably convey opposite end of the spectrum emotions. The focal character is dissociated, emotionless, and even cold-hearted which results in the reader disliking him and yet, one can see his/herself in him and realizes that he only puts on this façade in order to not feel too much and be able to objectively complete his job. This stark contrast is reflective of society as a whole and digs deep into the socio- and psychological makeup of our very being. The fact that George can cause readers to both love and hate the main character speaks for itself.
“The Case Worker” is not an ordinary novel by any means. Those seeking standard dialogue or a story arc will be disappointed. That being said, “The Case Worker” does have a climax with the main character “switching sides” and taking on the guardianship role of a child and living in filth exactly as his former clients had. He temporarily leaves his office position and nearly suffers a mental breakdown allowing his character to grow and reveal his inner psyche.
Sadly, the climax of “The Case Worker” is noticeably weaker and less defined than what is expected from the nature of the novel. The story at this point is clenched up, less emotive, and sort of forced in texture. This continues throughout the last quarter of the novel which loses the initial steam and wonder that was so resonant previously in “The Case Worker”.
Despite the drop in luster and highlighting of flaws; “The Case Worker” is still successfully memorable and leaves an impact both from the story and the writing itself. The meaning/plot is applicable to any place during any time making it stand out. “The Case Worker” doesn’t have a “happily ever after”- ending but rather allows readers to look inside themselves and their own lives.
Even with its imperfections; “The Case Worker” is a lovely piece of literature that showcases complex and masterful writing that digs deep into readers’ soul. The story is simple but layered and certainly not lighthearted. “The Case Worker” is recommended for lit- lovers, those who enjoy complex stream of consciousness novels, and fans of Hungarian writers.
** I would give this novel a 4.5. In lieu of half- ratings, I decided to go with a 4 but at times the novel is a 5**
Konrad’s “The Case Worker” follows the day-to-day workload of an unnamed male welfare worker employed by the government in Hungary in children’s services. The story follows the administrative and interactive dealings of the lowest-of-the-low welfare situations and focuses on the sociological and psychological slant on both the worker and human-kind, in general. “The Case Worker” is a sort of stream of consciousness novel in the essence of Kafka but beautifully structured and buttoned-up.
To elaborate on this point, “The Case Worker” is a literary masterpiece. The writing/language is simply gorgeous, eloquent, detailed, and highly visual. Readers will feel the sense of a memoir rather than a novel due to the realness and descriptive nature of the text. The story is complex in that the meanderings are representative of overall cultures and civilizations and yet is neither boring nor overwhelming. This is accessibility to the work that can’t be ignored. George’s writing is delightful and sometimes even too ‘grand’ leaving readers in awe.
Nothing is lost in Aston’s translation, either. “The Case Worker” is smooth with a steady heartbeat. None of the text is ever disjointed or clunky with the entire novel being ‘relevant; in all ways, plain and simple.
George is able to remarkably convey opposite end of the spectrum emotions. The focal character is dissociated, emotionless, and even cold-hearted which results in the reader disliking him and yet, one can see his/herself in him and realizes that he only puts on this façade in order to not feel too much and be able to objectively complete his job. This stark contrast is reflective of society as a whole and digs deep into the socio- and psychological makeup of our very being. The fact that George can cause readers to both love and hate the main character speaks for itself.
“The Case Worker” is not an ordinary novel by any means. Those seeking standard dialogue or a story arc will be disappointed. That being said, “The Case Worker” does have a climax with the main character “switching sides” and taking on the guardianship role of a child and living in filth exactly as his former clients had. He temporarily leaves his office position and nearly suffers a mental breakdown allowing his character to grow and reveal his inner psyche.
Sadly, the climax of “The Case Worker” is noticeably weaker and less defined than what is expected from the nature of the novel. The story at this point is clenched up, less emotive, and sort of forced in texture. This continues throughout the last quarter of the novel which loses the initial steam and wonder that was so resonant previously in “The Case Worker”.
Despite the drop in luster and highlighting of flaws; “The Case Worker” is still successfully memorable and leaves an impact both from the story and the writing itself. The meaning/plot is applicable to any place during any time making it stand out. “The Case Worker” doesn’t have a “happily ever after”- ending but rather allows readers to look inside themselves and their own lives.
Even with its imperfections; “The Case Worker” is a lovely piece of literature that showcases complex and masterful writing that digs deep into readers’ soul. The story is simple but layered and certainly not lighthearted. “The Case Worker” is recommended for lit- lovers, those who enjoy complex stream of consciousness novels, and fans of Hungarian writers.
** I would give this novel a 4.5. In lieu of half- ratings, I decided to go with a 4 but at times the novel is a 5**
November 20, 2024
Maandagmorgencynisme,
en toch was het bij momenten smullen!
Prachtige existentialistische passages wisselden licht verontrustende af.
Bij momenten deed het misschien iets te veel denken aan Kafka,
waar ik minder fijne herinneringen aan heb, en die ik - net als nu - in een mogelijke winterdip las.
en toch was het bij momenten smullen!
Prachtige existentialistische passages wisselden licht verontrustende af.
Bij momenten deed het misschien iets te veel denken aan Kafka,
waar ik minder fijne herinneringen aan heb, en die ik - net als nu - in een mogelijke winterdip las.
February 11, 2020
One of the best things I’ve ever read. Konrád is a new obsession.
May 18, 2025
Van grote importantie geweest en passend ‘In de trein naar het noorden’ sfeertje, grimmig en gezellig brutaal vingertje naar de onbevangen naïeve lezeres onderweg.
April 27, 2020
In de eerste persoon geschreven roman over een ambtenaar sociale zaken en zijn kijk op zijn cliënten. Bevat mooie, schrijnende verhalen over de zelfkant van de samenleving, en bereikt grote hoogten wanneer de ik-figuur zich over het idiote, behaarde kind van de Bandula's ontfermt, maar de leesbaarheid wordt het hele boek lang ernstig belemmerd door ultralange, opsommende zinnen en schrikbarend lange alinea's. Uiteindelijk is het boek hierdoor meer vermoeiend dan bevredigend.
August 28, 2011
Never in my life has a book influenced my emotions like this. In the days I was reading this book I felt generally depressed and out of touch with the world around me. I even had to put it away for a while....my precious.
May 24, 2011
teh best book
October 9, 2016
Moeilijk en bij momenten geniaal boek.
October 24, 2020
Wow this is a lot like my job for the Government of the United SnaKKKe$ of AmeriKKKa except he gets to hang out with a lot more disgusting children and he's more depressed.
April 22, 2020
Case workers might have the most morbid job on the earth, and a case worker in communist Hungary even more so. Day in and Day out they are confronted with the bottom most dregs of this vast human project, a veritable scrapheap of depravity and wasted life…At least this is the picture that György Konrad wants to reveal to us, bit by bit, in this most unrelentingly bleak of novels, The Case Worker. Though he uses this profession to draw a far more comprehensive metaphor for the ills of modern life and the barriers we construct around ourselves, as we seek to absolve all responsibility toward the social well-being of others. Instead we relegate this task to a Kafkaesque web of bureaucratic institutions, who then reduce an entire person (their hopes, their dreams, their faults, and trials of spirit) to a mere file, shuddered away, moldering in the back of a cabinet in some cramped office, only periodically taken out and rifled through, like the organs of some corpse traipsed over a gurney in a morgue. Fun! Fun! Fun!
In all honesty after completing this novel, I’ve come to the conclusion, after all the art I’ve experienced from Hungary (the music of Bela Bartok, the films of Bela Tarr, the novels of Magda Szabo, László Krasznahorkai, Antal Szerb and others) that it might just be the most miserable tradition in the whole of Europe, if not the world. There’s an unrelenting melancholy that pervades every single fiber of the Hungarian spirit, which makes even the most steely-eyed of Russians seem glib. I suspect this has to do with Hungary’s descent from crown jewel of the entire continent, at the start of the 20th century, to one of Europe’s most under-performing nations by the start of the 21st…Throw in two world wars, fifty years of totalitarian communist rule, and a brutal invasion by Soviet forces in 1956 that violently murdered dissidents in the streets, while “western” Europe sat back and watched…Not to mention the vice gripe of a new free market despot, Viktor Orban, who only last month gave himself emergency powers to bypass parliament…And you have a historical recipe ripe for an unparalleled artistic expression of pathos and cynicism towards the entire human experience. And the works of György Konrad are indeed no different…
Stylistically is where this novel falters for me. Mainly in its balance between the narrative framework and its penchant for diversions into baroque passages of descriptions and interiority that only obliquely relate back to the main plot. Gyorgy’s writing reminds me of a lesser Bernhard, or Danilo Kis, though it still has its moments. And his eye for absurd detail is astounding. The plot itself revolves around a disgruntled and unnamed case worker who comes to care for a mentally disabled boy after its parents have committed suicide. Slowly this worker becomes, like the very parents and people who he passed judgment upon, subsumed by a kind of self-destructive mania. Finally he is pulled back from the brink by a colleague and returns to his work with a renewed sense of empathy and purpose by his own participation in this recursive system of personal degradation that he oversees. The problems within this narrative and its aforementioned balance issues, stems primarily from its lack of fully fleshed out characters, and its unfocused attention to plotting. Contemporary readers might also find the characterization of the disabled boy to be very dehumanizing and problematic, though everyone in this book is rather ghastly and nightmarish in their depiction, so I didn’t find it too morally hazardous. Others might rightfully disagree with my conclusion. Along with these issues, I also found the back half of the book swiftly testing my patience, nevertheless many of its images continue to haunt me, and that my friends is a mark of quality. I’d recommend this to fans of Beckett, Kafka, or those enraptured by the darker corners of continental literature.
3.5/5.
In all honesty after completing this novel, I’ve come to the conclusion, after all the art I’ve experienced from Hungary (the music of Bela Bartok, the films of Bela Tarr, the novels of Magda Szabo, László Krasznahorkai, Antal Szerb and others) that it might just be the most miserable tradition in the whole of Europe, if not the world. There’s an unrelenting melancholy that pervades every single fiber of the Hungarian spirit, which makes even the most steely-eyed of Russians seem glib. I suspect this has to do with Hungary’s descent from crown jewel of the entire continent, at the start of the 20th century, to one of Europe’s most under-performing nations by the start of the 21st…Throw in two world wars, fifty years of totalitarian communist rule, and a brutal invasion by Soviet forces in 1956 that violently murdered dissidents in the streets, while “western” Europe sat back and watched…Not to mention the vice gripe of a new free market despot, Viktor Orban, who only last month gave himself emergency powers to bypass parliament…And you have a historical recipe ripe for an unparalleled artistic expression of pathos and cynicism towards the entire human experience. And the works of György Konrad are indeed no different…
Stylistically is where this novel falters for me. Mainly in its balance between the narrative framework and its penchant for diversions into baroque passages of descriptions and interiority that only obliquely relate back to the main plot. Gyorgy’s writing reminds me of a lesser Bernhard, or Danilo Kis, though it still has its moments. And his eye for absurd detail is astounding. The plot itself revolves around a disgruntled and unnamed case worker who comes to care for a mentally disabled boy after its parents have committed suicide. Slowly this worker becomes, like the very parents and people who he passed judgment upon, subsumed by a kind of self-destructive mania. Finally he is pulled back from the brink by a colleague and returns to his work with a renewed sense of empathy and purpose by his own participation in this recursive system of personal degradation that he oversees. The problems within this narrative and its aforementioned balance issues, stems primarily from its lack of fully fleshed out characters, and its unfocused attention to plotting. Contemporary readers might also find the characterization of the disabled boy to be very dehumanizing and problematic, though everyone in this book is rather ghastly and nightmarish in their depiction, so I didn’t find it too morally hazardous. Others might rightfully disagree with my conclusion. Along with these issues, I also found the back half of the book swiftly testing my patience, nevertheless many of its images continue to haunt me, and that my friends is a mark of quality. I’d recommend this to fans of Beckett, Kafka, or those enraptured by the darker corners of continental literature.
3.5/5.
December 29, 2024
Kun jatkossa ajattelen millaista on naturalistinen kirjallisuus, mieleeni tulee varmasti Vierailija. Tätä kirjaa voi todellakin kuvata inhorealistiseksi.
Suosittelen Vierailijaa, jos olet kiinnostunut sosiaalityön historiasta itäblokissa. Sosiaalityöntekijä herra T paahtaa pitkää päivää viraston asiakaspalvelussa ja Budapestin slummeissa huomatakseen, ettei yhden miehen apu ole oikein apua ollenkaan.
Suurkaupunki tulehdustilassa. Slummeissa eletään kohti hivutuskuolemaa. Kansa, joka johti itsemurhatilastoja.
Vierailija oli ankeimpia lukemiani kirjoja. Voin arvata, että aiheensa takia tämä kirja on ollut aikanaan rohkea ja tärkeä, mutta kun nykylukija tahkoaa sivukaupalla jatkuvia lakonisia kuvauksia mielisairauksista, insestistä, vammaisuudesta, kaikin puolin eläimenkaltaisesta elämästä ikään kuin katselisi mielisairaalaa ilman hoitoa, lääkitystä, syöksyä yhä synkempiin vesiin alkaa tuntua, että kaikki tuli jo sanottua ensimmäisillä viidelläkymmenellä sivulla.
Kurjuuden vyöryssä ei ole mitään rakennetta ja herra T:n monologi oli yksinkertaisesti kyyninen puudutuspiikki. Ehkä kirja tavallaan teki tehtävänsä kun lukeminen tuntui samanlaiselta kärsimykseltä kuin varmasti elämä on monista sen ihmisistä tuntunut. Että epätoivoinen tilanne ajaa itse kunkin vuorollaan masennukseen tai mielen järkkymiseen - melkein lukijankin kun niin pimeissä vesissä liikuttiin.
Kirjat synkistä aiheista ovat aika lailla ne kaikkein koskettavimmat. Vierailija ei ollut yksi niistä vaan sai minut, surullista sanoa, kyllästymään itseensä.
Suosittelen Vierailijaa, jos olet kiinnostunut sosiaalityön historiasta itäblokissa. Sosiaalityöntekijä herra T paahtaa pitkää päivää viraston asiakaspalvelussa ja Budapestin slummeissa huomatakseen, ettei yhden miehen apu ole oikein apua ollenkaan.
Suurkaupunki tulehdustilassa. Slummeissa eletään kohti hivutuskuolemaa. Kansa, joka johti itsemurhatilastoja.
Vierailija oli ankeimpia lukemiani kirjoja. Voin arvata, että aiheensa takia tämä kirja on ollut aikanaan rohkea ja tärkeä, mutta kun nykylukija tahkoaa sivukaupalla jatkuvia lakonisia kuvauksia mielisairauksista, insestistä, vammaisuudesta, kaikin puolin eläimenkaltaisesta elämästä ikään kuin katselisi mielisairaalaa ilman hoitoa, lääkitystä, syöksyä yhä synkempiin vesiin alkaa tuntua, että kaikki tuli jo sanottua ensimmäisillä viidelläkymmenellä sivulla.
Kurjuuden vyöryssä ei ole mitään rakennetta ja herra T:n monologi oli yksinkertaisesti kyyninen puudutuspiikki. Ehkä kirja tavallaan teki tehtävänsä kun lukeminen tuntui samanlaiselta kärsimykseltä kuin varmasti elämä on monista sen ihmisistä tuntunut. Että epätoivoinen tilanne ajaa itse kunkin vuorollaan masennukseen tai mielen järkkymiseen - melkein lukijankin kun niin pimeissä vesissä liikuttiin.
Kirjat synkistä aiheista ovat aika lailla ne kaikkein koskettavimmat. Vierailija ei ollut yksi niistä vaan sai minut, surullista sanoa, kyllästymään itseensä.
March 25, 2023
Konrád György nemcsak jár az utcán, nemcsak végezte a munkáját. Ahogy számomra a regényből is lejön, ő együtt élt az utcával, együtt élt azokkal az emberekkel, akik ügyfeleivé váltak. Akár azonosulni is tudott velük. Szagolta, izlelte egyszerűnek tűnő, de mégis összetett életüket. Azt kell mondanom, hogy a mai világban sok embernek nem ártana, ha ugyanezzel a képességgel tudna tekinteni embertársaira, mint ahogy az író tekintett ügyfeleire.
A következőkben regényből utalok egy részletre, csak azok kedvéért írok, akik nem olvasták.
Erős párhuzam, de a süketnéma cigánylánnyal való közösülés a fiú szeme láttára, számomra Lars von Trier Antikrisztus nyitójelenetét veti fel. Két teljesen eltérő műről van szó, de érdekes lenne összehasonlítani a két jelenetet.
A következőkben regényből utalok egy részletre, csak azok kedvéért írok, akik nem olvasták.
Erős párhuzam, de a süketnéma cigánylánnyal való közösülés a fiú szeme láttára, számomra Lars von Trier Antikrisztus nyitójelenetét veti fel. Két teljesen eltérő műről van szó, de érdekes lenne összehasonlítani a két jelenetet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2018
I read this years ago and just had the urge to look it up on Goodreads. It's absolutely brilliant as a meditation on the practice of Social Work. It used to be on the Open University syllabus for that reason. The protagonist is forced to confront his role in the machinery of the care system, and to choose between dishing out platitudes and occasional sums of money to his clients or quitting his job and devoting himself wholeheartedly to one single client. The last chapter alone is worth the price of the book. It's as bleak as it is deep; depressing and thought-provoking. Definitely recommended for people in the social care profession, but perhaps not so much for other people.
April 16, 2022
Since Konrád is one of my favourite 20th century writers, it is hard to put two stars of any of his books. Though written in his usual fantastic writing style the book was difficult to read for me. All the cruel scenes and the horror that he depicts with his incredible vivid style was too much for me.
While writing this I understand that the two stars mainly come from my own taste in books rather than the quality of the book. Konrád is a must read and I will pick up any book that he has written to keep being amazed with his incredible mind that can link anything together and make complete sense.
While writing this I understand that the two stars mainly come from my own taste in books rather than the quality of the book. Konrád is a must read and I will pick up any book that he has written to keep being amazed with his incredible mind that can link anything together and make complete sense.
November 17, 2019
Igazán nem tudom mit lehetne írni erről a könyvről. Ajánlásra olvastam de számomra annyira kemény volt, szinte már naturalista. Egy szociális munkás mindennapjairól, eseteiről szól, majd pedig, hogy hogyan vesz magához egy értelmi fogyatékos gyereket. Igazából ennek a miértjét nem sikerült megértenem. Talán vezeklés?
Azután pedig mintha elvágták volna, az élete visszatér a ,,rendes’’ kerékvágásba. Számomra egy különösen megírt könyv ez, mely ontja magából a reménytelenség érzetét, márcsak hangulata miatt is, mert olyan borongós és sötét az egész érzete.
Azután pedig mintha elvágták volna, az élete visszatér a ,,rendes’’ kerékvágásba. Számomra egy különösen megírt könyv ez, mely ontja magából a reménytelenség érzetét, márcsak hangulata miatt is, mert olyan borongós és sötét az egész érzete.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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