Attila: A Barbarian's Bedtime Story [Paperback]

Peter Hargitai (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This autobiographical first novel by a Budapest-born American poet and translator follows the destiny of Attila Nagy, from his Hungarian childhood under the Communist regime and his family's escape to Cleveland following the revolution to his dysfunctional adulthood and unhappy marriage-all of which are redeemed by a lucky tumble into mythology. This deliciously ironic, picaresque tale borders on the bizarre, but Hargitai is a language master capable of effortless shifts from reality to myth, and his hero's quest for fulfillment underscores the sad disparity between what we actually are and what we want to be. This genre-bending novel is a pleasure to read. Highly recommended for all fiction collections.
Sister M. Anna Falbo, Villa Maria Coll. Lib., Buffalo, N.Y.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Puski Corvin (May 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915951207
• ISBN-13: 978-0915951208
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,152,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Journey, April 12, 2000

By 

faiza rana (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Attila: A Barbarian's Bedtime Story (Paperback)

Attila A Barbarians Bedtime Story is a uniquely written book by Peter Hargitai. In this book we are taken through a journey with a boy who leaves his communist country as a boy to be free as man. This book is a collection of drama, sarcasm, fantasy, reality, and illusions. I was honored to have had the pleasure of reading this book so wonderfully written by a talented author.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It was weird but interesting, April 11, 2000

By 

Jackie (Miami, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Attila: A Barbarian's Bedtime Story (Paperback)

From the moment Professor Hargitai began to read a short passage of his book , I knew that this would be a book that I would be totally interested in. I think what caught me attention most in the book was all of his refences to sex and sexual behavior. His word usage is sometimes so graphic (but in good taste) that I feel I might have to cover my eyes if my mother came into the room. At some points the the story it would become a bit confusing because of all the names he would use and all of the flashbacks. I also didn't understand where mythology fit into the story, but I would probally have to read further into that to understand it. Overall I would really recommend this book to anyone who has an open mind and is looking for a great book to read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A students point of view to Attila., April 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Attila: A Barbarian's Bedtime Story (Paperback)

This book from Peter Hargitai is something other than a bedtime story. It is about a family from Hungary that travels to America and begin to show their true inner self as time passes by. This book is so interesting since it talks about fantasy and the truth about dreams needing to reveal themselves as our unknown side. The book is for everyone since it can allow you to open up your mind and give imagination to those who are creative.It will not allow you to go to sleep but to another world since it constantly goes from the present back to the past having you flip through pages and making the book a non ending exciting travel through time.