The Rich Tradition of Hungarian Letters
Hungarian literature is one of Europe's great underappreciated traditions. Written in a language that belongs to no major language family, Hungarian authors have developed a literary culture that is at once fiercely independent and deeply engaged with broader European currents. From the Romantic nationalism of Sandor Petofi to the existential explorations of Laszlo Krasznahorkai, Hungarian writing offers perspectives that you simply cannot find elsewhere.
For English-speaking readers, the growing availability of quality translations has made it easier than ever to access this tradition. The reviews below focus on works available in English, with notes on translation quality where relevant.
Classical Hungarian Literature
Sandor Marai (1900-1989)
Sandor Marai is perhaps the Hungarian author most widely read in English, thanks to the rediscovery of his work in the early 2000s. Born in Kassa (now Kosice, Slovakia), he was one of the most popular writers in pre-war Hungary before going into exile after the Communist takeover in 1948.
Essential work: "Embers" (A gyertyak csonkig egnek, 1942) - Two old men meet after 41 years of silence to confront a night that destroyed their friendship. The entire novel takes place over a single evening's conversation, and Marai's control of tension and revelation is masterful. Translated by Carol Brown Janeway.
Also recommended: "The Rebels" for youthful restlessness, and "Portraits of a Marriage" for a multi-perspective exploration of love and class.
Mor Jokai (1825-1904)
The great Romantic novelist of 19th-century Hungary, Jokai wrote over 200 novels and remains one of the most beloved figures in Hungarian literary history. His works combine adventure, humor, and patriotic fervor in a style compared to Dickens and Dumas.
Essential work: "The Man with the Golden Touch" (Az arany ember, 1872) - A sweeping adventure novel about a merchant on the Danube who discovers a hidden fortune and must choose between wealth and happiness.
20th Century Masters
Imre Kertesz (1929-2016)
The only Hungarian author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (2002), Kertesz survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald as a teenager and spent the rest of his life grappling with that experience in his writing.
Essential work: "Fatelessness" (Sorstalansag, 1975) - A 14-year-old boy is deported to Auschwitz and then Buchenwald. Kertesz's choice to narrate the experience through the naive perspective of an adolescent produces a reading experience that is at once harrowing and strangely illuminating. The Tim Wilkinson translation is definitive.
Magda Szabo (1917-2007)
Magda Szabo's rediscovery by English-language readers has been one of the great literary events of the past decade. Her novels explore the inner lives of Hungarian women with psychological acuity and compelling storytelling.
Essential work: "The Door" (Az ajto, 1987) - A writer recounts her complicated, intense relationship with her housekeeper, Emerence Szeredas. Translated by Len Rix, it has been called one of the greatest novels of the 20th century.
Also recommended: "Abigail" for a gripping wartime story, and "Katalin Street" for a haunting exploration of memory and loss.
Contemporary Hungarian Writing
Laszlo Krasznahorkai (born 1954)
Widely regarded as one of the most important living European writers. His long, hypnotic sentences and bleak but beautiful vision of the world have influenced filmmakers (most notably Bela Tarr) as well as fellow writers.
Essential work: "Satantango" (1985) - Set in a decaying Hungarian village, this circular novel follows desperate characters whose lives are upended by the return of a charismatic con man.
Gyorgy Dragoman (born 1973)
Born in Transylvania and now based in Budapest, Dragoman writes novels that explore the psychological aftershocks of totalitarianism with dark humor and vivid imagination.
Essential work: "The White King" (A feher kiraly, 2005) - An eleven-year-old boy navigates life in a totalitarian state after his father is taken away to a labor camp. Told in linked episodes, the novel captures both menace and absurdity through a child's eyes.
Where to Find Hungarian Literature in English
- Massolit Books & Cafe (Budapest, District VII) - Excellent selection of Hungarian literature in translation
- Penguin Random House - NYRB Classics imprint with many Hungarian translations
- Pushkin Press - Instrumental in bringing Hungarian authors to English readers