István Bart Books

English (translation)Original Hungarian

The present anthology is unusual in that its primary aim is to present, through a sample of recent Hungarian prose writing, the contemporary Hungarian scene from a historical angle. A piece each, by 25 Hungarian writers, including short stories, literary reportage, and 'sociographical' writings, gives the reader insight into the life of the country and its people, and by evoking historical turning-points, mirrors what has taken place in reality and, as a consequence, in the human soul in Hungary during the last fifty years. Among the criteria of the selection, then, the informative content of the writing figures as prominently as artistic value. By showing the pitfalls on the road towards the goals Hungarian society has set itself, the appropriate lessons can be drawn. The period under scrutiny has been extensively discussed by historians and sociologists. But how is Hungarian reality seen by the writer who is after all the most sensitive chronicler of his age, and who was both an active and passive participant in its events?

Das Buch mit dem gewollt an Kolportage erinnernden Titel ist kein Liebesroman um den Selbstmord des österreichischen Kronprinzen, sondern ein Versuch, die banale Realität einem Mythos gegenüberzustellen. Der Autor erhebt daher auch nicht den Anspruch, die x-te Lösung des Rätsels von Mayerling gefunden zu haben. Nichtsdestoweniger bringt er Neues, nämlich die Entstehungsgeschichte einer Legende. Der ironisch-kritische Unterton, der das Buch durchzieht, macht die Lektüre auch unterhaltsam. Zu bedauern sind Übersetzungsfehler sowie das Fehlen eines Literaturnachweises, denn laut Klappentext hat Bart Tagebücher, Memoiren, Gerichtsakten und Briefe verwertet. - Eine Ergänzung zu Camillo Schäfer "Mayerling" (ID 7/88). (3)

An extraordinary biography of the legendary screen star Marilyn Monroe (originally published in 1973) by Norman Mailer, one of America's most important writers of the second half of the Twentieth Century. Mailer, the winner of two Pullitzer Prizes, was the first writer to explore the relationship between Monroe and Bobby Kennedy. When first published, this book was the subject of Time and Life Magazine cover stories, was on the New York Times Bestseller List and became a full selection of the Book of the Month Club .

A young and ambitious writer named Jerome David Salinger aimed high early in his career, yearning to publish in The New Yorker, which he viewed as the pinnacle of American literature. However, it took several years and the duration of a world war before he achieved this goal. The New Yorker, known for its selective tastes, was not ready for Salinger's brash style and cynical worldview. Instead, other magazines recognized his talent during a tumultuous time. Story magazine was the first to publish Salinger’s work, featuring “The Young Folks” in 1940. This story offers a glimpse into New York’s cocktail society, showcasing a conversation between two young people that is largely meaningless. His next story, “Go See Eddie,” appeared in The University of Kansas City Review, depicting a tense encounter where a male character pressures a young woman to meet Eddie, notable for its omitted backstory—a technique reminiscent of Hemingway. Later, as Salinger neared the end of his wartime experience, “Once A Week Won’t Kill You” was published in Story magazine. This story, about a soldier informing his aunt of his deployment, can be interpreted as a metaphor for preparing loved ones for potential loss. Devault-Graves Digital Editions proudly presents this anthology by one of America’s most innovative authors.

Miss Jane Marple is on vacation and loving every minute of her stay at London's eminently expensive bastion of tradition. Bertam's Hotel. but its impeccable old-world reputation is being tarnished -- by new blood. For someone disreputable has just checked in. And what's now going on at Bertam's Hotel is a crime.