Communism meets sheep
A wonderful analysis of Communism and why it didn’t quite add up for this Romanian farmer, as described by Donald...
Normality and absurdity
Grossman is a master of capturing tiny details that show something touchingly ordinary in an extraordinary setting. Here, modelled on...
Now, what shall I write?
The Hungarian poet György Faludy (1910-2006) decides what to write on the eve of his execution. In the event, he...
Are we there yet?
A one-liner which would be funny if it weren't for the fact it earned Uncle Torma a one-way ticket to...
Beware the sunset (especially if it’s beautiful)
A striking example of the tendency of totalitarian ideologies to corrupt the mind: no-one means what they say, nothing is...
With curiosity and cheerfulness
How innocent this phrase, and yet, look at the context. Having left Hungary on the eve of the Second World...
Gallows’ humour
One of the most impressive and humbling aspects of some people living under oppression is their capacity to crack jokes...
How to hide a poem (II)
Listening time: under 5 minutes.  This disturbing quotation is striking on several levels.  By the Hungarian poet György Faludy concerning...
A Greek showed up
Listening time: under 5 minutes. From Steinbeck's masterful and lively account of travelling in the Soviet Union with...
A bulwark against brain-washing
Listening time: under 9 minutes.  Sadly, some things in the state of the world are driving me to spend more...
Why, Chagall, why?
According to Orlando Figes, Chagall was invited to decorate the streets of Vitebsk in celebration of the first anniversary of...
Where dying isn’t enough
Suzanne, later the second wife of the Hungarian poet György Faludy, seems to have been a lovely person, with strong...
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