An Innocent Millionaire

by Stephen Vizinczey

"Brilliantly inventive, written with great flair and shows a deliciously comic and ironic sense of American realities."—Alfred Kazin

"The virtues of [Vizinczey's] style are those he finds in Hungarian the moody ferocity of a locked-up beast, and also a classic clarity and complete lack of self-indulgence."—Thomas D'Evelyn, Christian Science Monitor

"Shows where the true values lie—not in wealth or the rule of law but in that as yet inviolate sector where a man and woman make love. . . . I was entertained but also deeply here is a novel set bang in the middle of our decadent, polluted, corrupt world that, in some curious way, breathes a kind of desperate hope."—Anthony Burgess, Punch (London)

"Bravo!"—Graham Greene

Genres: Fiction, Romance

380 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Hungarian author who studied under George Lukacs at the University of Budapest and graduated from the city's Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in 1956. Three of his plays were banned by the Hungarian Communist regime and in he took part in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. After a short stay in Italy, he ended up in Canada speaking only 50 words of English, and eventually taking Canadian citizenship. He learned English writing scripts for Canada's National Film Board and the CBC. He edited Canada's short-lived literary magazine, Exchange. In 1966 he moved to London and acquired British citizenship.

His best-known works are the novels 'In Praise of Older Women' (1965) and 'An Innocent Millionaire' (1983).

Vizinczey has also written two books of literary, philosophical and political essays: 'The Rules of Chaos' (1969) and 'Truth and Lies in Literature' (1985).

Reviews

[Ward Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vizinczey is a big admirer of the 19th century novel, especially Stendal and Balzac. This is an updated Charterhouse of Parma in that the hero is someone with gigantic dreams and can pull it off. Really fun descriptions of corrupt or morally asleep individuals getting jealous of people with real passion. It's mainly absurdly funny. Reads like an action movie. Vizinczey also has a way with pressing cultural buttons. Reminds me a bit of the film director Paul Verhoven (Robocop, Starship Trooper, Basic Instinct).

[Brendon Neuhaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Innocent Millionaire is a reminder of the insanity of greed. This novel describes a life well lived and how stubborn ambition is a key to human progress.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was attracted to this author by the title of his first book In Praise of Older Women but thought the title of this book appropriate to the world we now live in. An Innocent… is a big comic novel, first published in the early 1980s, and has more stomach-dropping twists and turns in it than the big ride at the carnival. There is good in the world ”but evil is stronger,” says a lawyer late in the action. Whether or not the author agrees is still a question, for the open warfare between good and evil continue to the very last page.

Lawyers take most of the heat in this novel, which makes it almost seem quaint considering what Americans have learned about the financial field since then. While lawyers manage to fleece clients and double-cross their peers, it is still puppy-doo compared with what realtors and investment bankers managed to accomplish in the new century.

But of the writing: there is so much here of human nature and human foible that it is funny at the same time it is painful. Thanks to the author’s foreshadowing, one sees disasters before they arrive, but one never anticipates the next little bit the author throws at one after that. I can’t really tell you much about this book because even a sketch gives much away, but it begins with a young man seeking sunken treasure, surely a delicious thought…

[Fogged Clarity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a good American novel. Demonstrates the way modern society has robbed the sanctity of an untainted dream.

[Toby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional and terrifying

[Lindutte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this probably 30 years ago, and it still holds a top spot on my list of favorite books.

[Alejandro Soria Villén · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente novela. La traducción probablemente haga que se pierda el estilo original del autor, pero deja una historia profunda, que involucra a relativamente pocos personajes pero con una gran profundidad. Aunque existen muchas imprecisiones temporales, el autor ya lo avisa, y adapta ciertos eventos históricos a las necesidades de la novela.
Creo que muestra la cara más dura del poder, y las formas más crueles del ser humano para aquellos que conocen la fortuna cuando no son nadie. Siempre tiene uno la sensación de que ganarán los buenos, de una forma u otra. De alguna manera, lo hacen...

[Djj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very hard book to find, but it was a favorite of mine from when i was a teen and I wondered if I'd it like it as much now. Yes and no. The story of Mark Niven's obsession with recovering a ship wreck full of treasure to become an innocent millionaire is fun. But the book breaks down in the end as the author really wants to attack the avarice of the legal profession and, I think, agents; while readable, it all gets to be a little much.

[Antonio Meola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questa storia ha in sé la Grande Verità che erano soliti elargire gli scrittori dell'Ottocento e per sfondo un Novecento scosso da guerre, corruzione e inquinamento.
Vizinczey ripercorre le orme dei suoi scrittori preferiti e scrive Un innocente milionario, una storia come non se ne scrivono più. Da recuperare: non ve ne pentirete.

[Juan Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

He leído esta novela cinco o seis veces a lo largo de muchos años... y siempre me emociona y me sorprende. No solo se trata de una de las historias más completas que han pasado por mis manos, sino que es un texto que no pierde vigencia ni actualidad por mucho que pase el tiempo.

Todos los personajes son increíbles, y tienen mucho que aportar. Sus virtudes y defectos, sus humanidad los hacen enormemente cercanos por mucho que la historia esté repleta de eventos no muy cotidianos.

Si no lo conoces, no pierdas la oportunidad de sumergirte en sus páginas.

[Alessandro Ferrando · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyed it immensely

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a deliciously unique and original book. It’s one I’ll come back to again for certain.

[Katia Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ho sempre sostenuto che leggere un libro, per quanto possa essere brutto e/o scritto male, non è mai una perdita di tempo.
Ecco, questo romanzo mi ha fatta ricredere.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encantó la forma un poco irónica en que escribe. La historia tiene muchos giros, nunca se sabe cómo va a terminar todo.
Primera vez que leo al autor y me parece muy recomendable.

[bells · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is what outer banks thought it was

[Angel Serrano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un joven obsesionado por un tesoro hundido en un galeón español cambiará su vida para buscarlo. Una vez encontrado, su vida volverá a cambiar para convertirse en una pesadilla. Una aventura amorosa será la única esperanza que lo mantendrá vivo.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roman picaresque. Fantastique chasse au tresor ou tout tourne court ou rien ni personne n'a vraiment de sens.

[Abimbola Adefemiwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this over 20 years ago. I remember it as a very good story but it had a horribly shocking twist to the tale partway through. Still highly recommended

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember loving this book. I am going to read it again.

[Minier Jules · Rating 1 out of 5]

Début intéressant. La suite est très décevante. Le personnage principal est intentionnellement naïf pour justifier la suite de l’histoire. Globalement non recommandable.