A Dickensian coming-of-age tale about poverty, sex, World War I, and the darker side of human nature as seen through the eyes of a lobby boy in a Budapest hotel.
Temptation is a rediscovered masterwork of twentieth-century fiction, a Dickensian tale of a young man coming of age in Budapest between the wars. Illegitimate and unwanted, Béla is packed off to the country to be looked after by a peasant woman the moment he is born. She starves and bullies him, and keeps him out of school. He does his best to hold his own, and eventually his mother brings him back to live with her in the city. In thrall to his feckless father, Mishka, and living in a crowded tenement, she works her fingers to the bone, while Béla shares a room with a hardworking prostitute. Finally, Béla secures a job in a fancy hotel. Though exhausted by endless work, he is fascinated by the upper-crust world that his new job exposes him to; soon he is embroiled with a rich, damaged, and dangerous woman. The atmosphere of Budapest is increasingly poisoned by the appeal of fascism, while Béla grows ever more aware of how power and money keep down the working classes. In the end, with all the odds still against him, he musters the resolve to set sail for new future.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
János Székely (1901-1958) was a novelist and screenwriter. He often wrote under the pen name John Pen. At the age of 18, he fled World War I, leaving his native Hungary for Berlin, Germany, where he began writing screenplays. He emigrated to the US in 1938, moving to Hollywood to work at the invitation of Ernst Lubitsch. He became a sought-after screenwriter and won the 1940 Academy Award for Best Story for Arise, My Love. He left the US for Mexico during the McCarthy era and eventually landed in East Berlin where he lived until his death.
Mark Baczoni was born in Budapest and grew up in London. He studied in Cambridge and Budapest, and translates both prose and poetry from Hungarian and French. He is one of the editors of Hungary's leading English-language literary portal, Hungarian Literature Online (hlo.hu).
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Seller: Goodwill of Colorado, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, U.S.A.
Condition: Acceptable. This item is in overall acceptable condition. Covers and dust jackets are intact but may have heavy wear including creases, bends, edge wear, curled corners or minor tears as well as stickers or sticker-residue. Pages are intact but may have minor curls, bends or moderate to considerable highlighting/ writing. Binding is intact; however, spine may have heavy wear. Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. A well-read copy overall. Please note that all items are donated goods and are in used condition. Orders shipped Monday through Friday! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!. Seller Inventory # 466U1F001SB7
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Irish Booksellers, Portland, ME, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. SHIPS FROM USA. Used books have different signs of use and do not include supplemental materials such as CDs, Dvds, Access Codes, charts or any other extra material. All used books might have various degrees of writing, highliting and wear and tear and possibly be an ex-library with the usual stickers and stamps. Dust Jackets are not guaranteed and when still present, they will have various degrees of tear and damage. All images are Stock Photos, not of the actual item. book. Seller Inventory # 10-1681374374-G
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00075017192
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: GF Books, Inc., Hawthorne, CA, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Book is in Used-VeryGood condition. Pages and cover are clean and intact. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as CDs or access codes. May show signs of minor shelf wear and contain very limited notes and highlighting. 0.49. Seller Inventory # 1681374374-2-3
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Book Deals, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.
Condition: Fair. Acceptable/Fair condition. Book is worn, but the pages are complete, and the text is legible. Has wear to binding and pages, may be ex-library. 0.49. Seller Inventory # 353-1681374374-acp
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Books Unplugged, Amherst, NY, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Buy with confidence! Book is in good condition with minor wear to the pages, binding, and minor marks within 0.49. Seller Inventory # bk1681374374xvz189zvxgdd
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Book Deals, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.
Condition: Fine. Like New condition. Great condition, but not exactly fully crisp. The book may have been opened and read, but there are no defects to the book, jacket or pages. 0.49. Seller Inventory # 353-1681374374-lkn
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: booksXpress, Bayonne, NJ, U.S.A.
Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9781681374376
Quantity: 10 available
Seller: INDOO, Avenel, NJ, U.S.A.
Condition: As New. Unread copy in mint condition. Seller Inventory # RH9781681374376
Quantity: Over 20 available
Seller: INDOO, Avenel, NJ, U.S.A.
Condition: New. Brand New. Seller Inventory # 9781681374376
Quantity: Over 20 available