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 the famed Hungarian novelist Sándor Márai, Portraits of a Marriage is in fact a startling exploration of a triangle of entanglement. A wealthy couple in bourgeois society, Peter and Ilonka appear to enjoy a fine union. Their home is tastefully decorated; their clothes are well tailored; they move in important circles. And yet, to hypersensitive Ilonka, her choice in décor is never good enough, and her looks are never fair enough to fully win the love of her husband, who has carried with him a secret that has long tormented him: Peter is in love with Judit, a peasant and servant in his childhood home. For Judit, however, even Peter’s affection cannot transcend that which she loves most—the prospect of her own freedom and a future without 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, Portraits of a Marriage offers further “posthumous evidence of [Márai’s] neglected brilliance” ( Chicago Tribune ) and his exquisite, acutely observed evocations of sacrifice and longing.

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.

It is midnight, October 31st 1758 and Giacomo Casanova has escaped from a Venetian prison after sixteen months consigned to darkness and the underworld. Shaking off the enforced solitude, Casanova makes his way to Bolzano - the small village where he was dealt a cruel hand.

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.