The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

I know there are a few Magda Szabó fans here.

Here are her novels that have been translated into English:

The Door
Abigail
Iza's Ballad
Katalin Street
The Fawn
Für Elise
Night of the Pig-Killing (out of print)

I haven't read any of her work (yet). Do you have a favorite Szabó, Wendy?

I wanted to share the news that The Fawn will be published by nyrb classics mid-April and saw that we didn’t have a Szabó yet. Now we do.

If I’ve missed any other English translations let me know and I will add them above.

The UK version of The Fawn has been out since January - I read it a couple of months ago. Interesting, but I can see why the other four Len Rix translations came out first. Another of my out of control reviewing backlog.

The original Hungarian order of publication was very different, starting with The Fawn and ending with The Door. There are a number of other as yet untranslated novels, some of them children's books.

My tentative ordering of the 5 I have read
(5*)
1 The Door
2 Abigail
3 Iza's Ballad
(4*)
4 Katalin Street
5 The Fawn

Thanks for this Wendy, loved Abigail - which is officially one of her children's books - and have a couple more of hers on my tbr pile which I must get around to.

I have all of her nyrb editions and The Fawn is the April book for subscribers.

I was quite a way through Abigail before I wondered if it was YA. Definitely a novel where the YA designation doesn’t mean adults would find it to simple.

I’m glad you mentioned Len Rix, Hugh, I have to admit I paid no attention to translator’s name, which is unusual for me.

The Door and Abigail are my top two. There is also a decent movie running now on Prime based on The Door, starring Helen Mirren.

Thanks Jill, I'll check that out.

I just found it. The film The Door was made in 2012. I’ll be watching this soon. Thanks, Jill!