Why am I writing this? Because “Diplomacy and Trade” overheard me say I had enjoyed Sandor Marai’s “A gyertyak csonkig egnek” and bullied me into it. Marai’s hatred of communism/fascism alone appeals to lovers of tolerance.
But actually this is his only book I’ve read, though it convinced me I should explore further. And I confess I read it in English – it takes me ages to read Hungarian literature in the original and I fear I miss much. However, Carol Brown Janeway’s version, “Embers”, is extremely good - not always the case with translations of Hungarian classics.
This book should not succeed – it is almost a monologue, slowly-paced and gloomy. But it is highly evocative of the ethos, relationships and complications of a past era and a tale which stays with you long after you put it down.
Though distinctively Hungarian, it is full of universal truths. Which is ultimately what a diplomat is seeking. And since diplomats make as much of what is unsaid as what is said – this is clearly a book that appeals to us. Those who like fast-paced whodunits will be sadly disappointed. Others should seek it out and savour it slowly, like fine wine.
