George Szirtes Books

Set against the backdrop of a small Hungarian town, the arrival of a circus heralds a series of surreal and chaotic events. Promising to showcase the largest whale's stuffed body, the circus ignites bizarre rumors and fears among the townsfolk, who desperately seek order amidst growing chaos. Central to this tale are memorable characters, including the scheming Mrs. Eszter and the naive Valuska, whose innocence stands in stark contrast to the surrounding turmoil. The narrative unfolds like a slow, powerful river, immersing readers in its dark, intense atmosphere.

A poet's memoir of his mother that flows backwards through time, and excavates a shard of European history - a deeply honest, tender and yet unsentimental autobiographical journey.

George Szirtes fled from Budapest with his family after the 1956 Hungarian uprising. Many of these poems relate to his arrival in England as a young child, and to the themes of identity, memory, belonging, war, and upheaval, with a sequence on living now in a country under siege from coronavirus.

A rediscovered masterwork from famed Hungarian novelist Sándor Márai, Portraits of a Marriage tracks the lifelong entanglement of a man and two women haunted by class differences and misdirected longings. Peter and Ilonka are a wealthy couple whose outwardly perfect marriage is undone by secrets. The insecure Ilonka believes she can never be elegant and refined enough for her husband, while Peter has long been tormented by his forbidden love for Judit, a peasant and servant in his childhood home. What Judit longs for most, however, is freedom from the constraints of the society that has ensnared all three in a vortex of love and loss. Set against the backdrop of Hungary between the wars, in a world on the verge of dramatic change, this exquisite novel offers further posthumous evidence of Marai’s brilliance. Translated from the Hungarian by George Szirtes

This anthology of new writing promotes contemporary literature of the English language from Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth. It contains new names among older, recognizable names and includes short stories, poems, novels in progress and short fiction.

Exploring themes of necessity and the various obstacles that hinder it, this poetry collection delves into complex emotions such as exile, distance, and identity. The poems confront haunting feelings and despair, reflecting on the challenges faced in the pursuit of fulfillment and understanding.

The book captures the creative exchange between poets Alvin Pang and George Szirtes during the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic. As they navigate the challenges of life and time, their correspondence evolves into a poetic dialogue that addresses pressing global issues, including the Black Lives Matter movement, Brexit, and the conflict in Ukraine. Through their friendship and shared experiences, they explore the complexities of the human condition, using language as a means to connect and reflect on a rapidly changing world.