Uncle Ethel Book

I don't think I could have enjoyed the Toth Family any more. Not since Hogan's Heros have I had such fun watching someone take the piss out of military leadership. A short and stupid military man spends two weeks driving a family insane as a severely funny sequence of mishaps unravels like a well-written Hollywood plot. Poor poor Mr. Toth is like every father that wants some peace, love and probably a few beers and to otherwise be left-alone. This of course will not do for the major who demands constant modifications for those he does not see living up to their potential. The family, but mostly Mr. Toth is reduced to absurdities such as jumping imagination puddles, keeping a flashlight in his mouth to avoid snoring and eventually moving into to his outhouse to find peace. Orkeny reminds me a bit of Zoschenko at times as he wields a rapier like wit that reduces the overbearing to fine shreds - all the time revealing his dangerous anti-establishment message. Just as funny as tragic - the whole story unfolds over the backdrop of a son killed at war. Both the major and the Toth family are unaware of the boy's death and their pettiness is drawn in contrast to the horrible tragedy of a life lost too young. Can you draw a more powerful image of absurdity? Kharms too can hardly be avoided when considering such absurd declamations against oppression - and at times you might also be waiting for Toth to eat the entire tray of butter with one mouthful. Not many books make me laugh out loud - this one did many times - and at the same time reminded me of what the cost of war in Eastern Europe was for many Hungarians.

The Flower Show is humorous but nowhere near as uproarious, nor was it intended to be, as The Toth Family. Instead, The Flower Show is about a man filming people's last moments for a documentary. The media was a less fertile ground for mockery than the military in 1966 - and I can only imagine what Orkeny would have written in response to our current reality of imbedded reporters and equally hilarious dictators at least.

Both works mock - but they are never cynical or reactionary. Orkeny pleases with laughter and delivers his more serious messages with tact and grace. We need more writers like Orkeny - Hollywood especially.