The Ambivalence of Identity: The Austrian Experience of Nation-Building in a Modern Society (Central European Studies). Book

The book offers what the title says: a concise history of Hungary. If you're interest in the country goes beyond that of a tourist, I would recommend you give it a read. The back cover gives a rather good summary of what's in the book itself: "This book offers a comprehensive thousand-year history of the land, people, society, culture and economy of Hungary, from its nebulous origins in the Ural Mountains to the 1988 elections. It tells above all the thrilling story of a people who became a great power in the region and then fought against--and were invaded by--Ottomans, Germans and Soviets. The Hungarian people preserved nevertheless a continuous individuality through their Ural-born language and a specifically Hungaro-European culture."

The book reads remarkably well for a non-fiction historical book. The subject is fact heavy and certainly complicated, but the reader is maneuvered through all over a thousand years of eventful history quite well. The writing style is relatively light, which certainly aids understanding of the subject. Also helpful are the occasional translation and/or explanation of Hungarian names and expressions and I truly appreciated the writers skepticism towards the presented historical facts surrounding the communist era. He made an effort to underline the claims of both camps (communist and non-communists) and the underlining the facts that seem most likely to be correct. It leaves the book with a feel of a fairly objective and complete history of a country, it's culture and it's people, which is still readable.

In addition Molnár doesn't shy away from some painful questions and issues. A good example is 'the gypsy problem'. He touches it only lightly - although their presence features in the entire book - as it's fairly recent history, but clearly states the problem its difficulties and the recent (failed) government policies on dealing with it. It's honest, refreshing and very helpful if you're trying to understand the culture and the people.

I read the book as a fairly new resident to the country and I feel I understand Hungarians and Hungarian culture a lot better now that I have. It's still a history book however, so I wouldn't advise it as light evening reading before bed.