What do you think?
Какви са унгарците
Milyenek is a magyarok? Kevés beszédű, magányos cowboyok és kocsmai hencegők. Folyton panaszkodók és forrófejűek. Pacalevők és pizzafalók. Asztalsarkon búsongók, akik párszor az asztalra csaptak, és beleremegett a történelem. Ebből a hangoskönyvből az is kiderül, kitalálták-e a magyarok az ideális társadalmat, igaz-e, hogy minden magyar tud atombombát gyártani és lóháton állva hatos fogatot hajtani. Ha valaki nem tudja, sírjon vagy nevessen, nyugodtan tegye egyszerre mind a kettőt.
150 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 27, 2023
3,75 ⭐
January 6, 2019
Много ведра книжка, написана със страхотно чувство за хумор, самоирония, а същевременно много любов. Легна ми на сърцето, налегна ме и носталгия към родното, припознах цялата си унгарска фамилия в редовете... че и българската :)
August 23, 2013
This is the fourth anecdotal study of the Hungarian national character I've read, and really, we're not getting any closer to the mark. The mark is George Mikes's anecdotal study of the British national character How to be a Brit.
An important element in a successful national character assassination should be the intent to kill. I remember how disappointed I was on reading The Xenophobe's Guide to the Hungarians and finding it was not nearly as murderous as The Xenophobe's Guide to the Swiss. I put this down to the fact that TXGTTH was actually written by Hungarians, and reflected that this in itself was very Hungarian - in the revolving door aphorism kind of way.
Two books later, my high hopes of Englishmen taking up the challenge and doing in Hungarian self-satisfaction were disappointed. Bob Dent's Inside Hungary From Outside never even sets out with vicious intent, he was obviously very happy living here. And although he had read the pages of the master, Colin Swatridge's criticism in A Country Full of Aliens was only intended to be constructive. He was obviously sympathetic to the historical plight of Magyar Man (though I suspect the "very special Human Beings" he dedicated the book to were more likely to be Magyar Women, which led to further suspicions about why they couldn't be acknowledged openly). But this latest read, Homo Hungaricus, IS murderous in intent. So much so that it had me wincing on occassion. The best piece in this vein is "Peacetime Antics" in which he points out that Hungary isn't actually under foreign occupation at present, so all the subterfuge and sabotage is actually hurting themselves and not the oppressive powers that be.
But this suggests a explanation as to why TXGTTH was so anodine and HH so sharp. The former was published outside of Hungary and its intent is to present a good impression of Hungary to foreigners - Hungarians love that (cf. Russians, who don't give a damn what foreigners think of them). HH was published in Hungary, to let other Hungarians know what a bunch of toerags they are. Hungarians may think that collectively they're great, but individually they don't really like each other. They get around this conumdrum by claiming the individuals they are presently disparaging are not really Hungarian at all, but in fact Jews, or Gypsies, or, in extreme cases, a mixture of both. All in all I'm surprised that HH made it passed the Hungarian amour propre censor into translation.
So full marks for the energy of the blows, but somewhat lower marks for choice of targets. It goes on to cudgel things Hungarians think are important, but foreigners not. There are three whole sections dedicated to Hungarians' foreign language skills, and all of it spot on, but who cares? There is nothing on the vexed subjects of sexuality, gender roles or family life, topics which I still struggle with after 20 years residency. Most frustrating of all are the sacred cows that have still not been sent to the butcher; a) Hungarian contains an amazing number of curse words and constructions, and b) Hungarians are heavy drinkers. It doesn't and they're not. It seems one day I'll just have to write my own national character assassination.
An important element in a successful national character assassination should be the intent to kill. I remember how disappointed I was on reading The Xenophobe's Guide to the Hungarians and finding it was not nearly as murderous as The Xenophobe's Guide to the Swiss. I put this down to the fact that TXGTTH was actually written by Hungarians, and reflected that this in itself was very Hungarian - in the revolving door aphorism kind of way.
Two books later, my high hopes of Englishmen taking up the challenge and doing in Hungarian self-satisfaction were disappointed. Bob Dent's Inside Hungary From Outside never even sets out with vicious intent, he was obviously very happy living here. And although he had read the pages of the master, Colin Swatridge's criticism in A Country Full of Aliens was only intended to be constructive. He was obviously sympathetic to the historical plight of Magyar Man (though I suspect the "very special Human Beings" he dedicated the book to were more likely to be Magyar Women, which led to further suspicions about why they couldn't be acknowledged openly). But this latest read, Homo Hungaricus, IS murderous in intent. So much so that it had me wincing on occassion. The best piece in this vein is "Peacetime Antics" in which he points out that Hungary isn't actually under foreign occupation at present, so all the subterfuge and sabotage is actually hurting themselves and not the oppressive powers that be.
But this suggests a explanation as to why TXGTTH was so anodine and HH so sharp. The former was published outside of Hungary and its intent is to present a good impression of Hungary to foreigners - Hungarians love that (cf. Russians, who don't give a damn what foreigners think of them). HH was published in Hungary, to let other Hungarians know what a bunch of toerags they are. Hungarians may think that collectively they're great, but individually they don't really like each other. They get around this conumdrum by claiming the individuals they are presently disparaging are not really Hungarian at all, but in fact Jews, or Gypsies, or, in extreme cases, a mixture of both. All in all I'm surprised that HH made it passed the Hungarian amour propre censor into translation.
So full marks for the energy of the blows, but somewhat lower marks for choice of targets. It goes on to cudgel things Hungarians think are important, but foreigners not. There are three whole sections dedicated to Hungarians' foreign language skills, and all of it spot on, but who cares? There is nothing on the vexed subjects of sexuality, gender roles or family life, topics which I still struggle with after 20 years residency. Most frustrating of all are the sacred cows that have still not been sent to the butcher; a) Hungarian contains an amazing number of curse words and constructions, and b) Hungarians are heavy drinkers. It doesn't and they're not. It seems one day I'll just have to write my own national character assassination.
December 21, 2023
I loved the author's sense of humour and I could identify some of the national patterns - however, as always, I think Hungarians are too harsh on themselves, or maybe I am just more exposed to the good parts, living in Budapest.
September 30, 2019
Egynek elment… Nem, igazából még annak sem.
February 22, 2026
A bennem élő hungarofób csak nagyritkàn hagyott nevetni.
January 4, 2024
Hmmm.... It's okay. For sure couldn't write better so I can't really critique it.
January 3, 2014
I thought it would be funny but I found it rather depressing. It says a lot of truth about us, Hungarians, but the author could have presented it in another way. Moreover, I would have liked to know the opinion of other nations a part from the French and the Belgians.
June 25, 2016
It might be due to the English translation but the book is more miss than hit. It presents a string of rather silly and anecdotal insights into the Hungarian soul that fail to entertain or educate the reader. Not what I expected overall, the illustrations are cute though.
November 6, 2016
Good collection of stereotypes, some of them less accurate but generally and unfortunately so, still valid. Funny, quick and easy read
June 4, 2024
This just confirms my suspicions regarding life here in Budapest. Hilarious and insightful.
Of course it is stereotypical and satirizing of caricatures drawn up to drive the cultural points home. Yet, I don't feel that it's antagonistic. There is an underlying tenderness to the characters that imbues them with charm and peculiarities. They are what makes Hungarians unique and lovable.
He doesn't hang cheap critiques on jokes. Instead, he explains the roots of what lead up to the interesting behaviors and beliefs.
One of my favorite vignettes was the man stuck at the bank. He is locked in the banality and bureaucracy of a bank teller that has her own problems to deal with, the necessity of correct documentation, and of course, the only person that can appropriately address is his problems is on Holliday. I'm having flashbacks to my own experiences at the immigration office...
Enjoy the book and don't take it too seriously.
Of course it is stereotypical and satirizing of caricatures drawn up to drive the cultural points home. Yet, I don't feel that it's antagonistic. There is an underlying tenderness to the characters that imbues them with charm and peculiarities. They are what makes Hungarians unique and lovable.
He doesn't hang cheap critiques on jokes. Instead, he explains the roots of what lead up to the interesting behaviors and beliefs.
One of my favorite vignettes was the man stuck at the bank. He is locked in the banality and bureaucracy of a bank teller that has her own problems to deal with, the necessity of correct documentation, and of course, the only person that can appropriately address is his problems is on Holliday. I'm having flashbacks to my own experiences at the immigration office...
Enjoy the book and don't take it too seriously.
December 28, 2019
This book contains a lot of funny but very true short stories about stereotypes about Hungarian people and the Hungarian way of thinking.
Ez a könyv rengeteg vicces, de ugyanakkor nagyon igaz rövid történetet tartalmaz a magyar sztereotípiákról és a magyar gondolkodásmódról.
Ez a könyv rengeteg vicces, de ugyanakkor nagyon igaz rövid történetet tartalmaz a magyar sztereotípiákról és a magyar gondolkodásmódról.
May 31, 2025
Addig tetszett amíg nem kezdte el a nőket “gyengébbik nem”-ként emlegetni. Szóval az első 3 fejezetig nagyjából. Aztán az egész a magyar férfiak istenítésével folytatódott, egy-két vicces dolog volt, de ennyi.
Mondjuk nem tudom mire számítottam.
1,5 ⭐️
Mondjuk nem tudom mire számítottam.
1,5 ⭐️
July 15, 2019
Funny and easy read, giving stereotyped impressions of Hungarians. Each short chapter deals with a different theme.
September 28, 2022
Tựa Việt: Người Hungary họ là ai?
Cũng được và hài.
Cũng được và hài.
March 7, 2023
Ами излиза, че не са толкова различни от нас. :) Забавна малка книжка, но определено "Маджарщини" на Ализ Мошони ми допадна повече като стил и хумор.
April 24, 2023
Унгарците са като българите, само че са унгарци.
Отделно от перифразата на прочутия израз, книжката е забавна и приятна точно заради аналогията с нашенската ни мисловна линия.
Отделно от перифразата на прочутия израз, книжката е забавна и приятна точно заради аналогията с нашенската ни мисловна линия.
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April 18, 2026We read this at my school's reading night, it was funny, but nothing much.
July 26, 2025
Azt hittem viccesebb lesz, de elég koszhelyes volt...
December 27, 2013
It's funny at parts and hard to follow at others.
January 3, 2014
Mildly amusing, it would appear my Hungarian pal gave me this already in 2014. I had no memory whatsoever of reading it before.
February 8, 2014
present from my Hungarian boyfriend, and sometimes very accurate! :) Wish all things would come with a handy guidebook!
January 11, 2015
I read this in English (because that's what I have), which might have taken away from its effect. Funny, though.
2/50
2/50
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews