The Hungarians

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The Hungarians offers a comprehensive and engaging history of a proud yet isolated people, once labeled "child-devouring cannibals" and "bloodthirsty Huns." Over time, they became defenders of the Christian West, fighting valiantly against the Tatars, Turks, and Russians in their struggles for freedom. Paul Lendvai, a Hungarian émigré, chronicles the nation’s journey from the Magyars' arrival in the Carpathian Basin in 896 to the post-Cold War era, exploring the complexities of Hungarian identity, which transcends mere ancestry or language to encompass an emotional sense of belonging. Lendvai highlights figures like poet Sándor Petofi, of Slovak descent, and Franz Liszt, who identified as Hungarian despite limited language proficiency. Through vivid anecdotes of historical figures—heroes and traitors alike—he illustrates the tension between progressivism and nationalism throughout Hungary's history. He poignantly addresses the trauma of losing Transylvania to Romania in 1920, a wound that remains fresh, alongside the horrors of Nazi and Soviet oppression. Blending readability, humor, and scholarship, this work provides an insightful understanding of how this unique region produced remarkable scientists, artists, and entrepreneurs, free from taboos and prejudices.