Customer Reviews

Tales from Hungary

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This short book packs a strong punch -- particularly in the first half as the author relates her memories of being a young Jewish girl in Budapest between 1941 and 1945. As the situation becomes more oppressive after the German occupation in 1944, each incident becomes progressively more vivid. This portion of the book culminates in the end of the German occupation and the beginning of the Soviet period of influence.

Unfortunately, the second half of the book slows down a bit as the author relates additional stories around her early professional career as a state-sponsored (by the Communist government) musician. The book feels oddly incomplete - ...

This slim volume tells the fascinating story of a young Hungarian woman who lived through the Nazis and the Soviet occupation, eventually escaping during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. This woman had been the State Violinist for Hungary so there are interesting stories about special treatments she got as a result of being a gifted artist in a communist regime. The book is,however, most of all a dramatic tale (her father and brother died in WWII) of an interesting life during an interesting point in history. Her description brings that time to life. It is an easy read that moves along quickly.