Hungarian Writer Péter Nádas Dies at 83
Péter Nádas, the renowned Hungarian author, passed away on August 26, 2023, at the age of 83 in Gombosszeg, as confirmed by his agent, Anett Orosz. Celebrated for his examination of 20th-century traumas, Nádas was both a playwright and novelist, often mentioned as a contender for the Nobel Prize. His significant work 'Parallel Stories' (2005) required eighteen years to complete. Susan Sontag praised his 'Book of Memories' (1975-1985) as one of the century's finest novels. Born in Budapest on October 14, 1942, he endured personal losses, including his mother's death in 1955 and his father's suicide in 1958. A former journalist, he released his first book in 1967 and openly criticized Hungarian politics, particularly Viktor Orbán's government, while maintaining a low profile away from media.
Key facts
- Péter Nádas died on August 26 at his home in Gombosszeg, western Transdanubia.
- His literary agent Anett Orosz confirmed the death to AFP.
- Nádas was 83 years old.
- He was a Hungarian playwright and novelist, often tipped for the Nobel Prize.
- His novel 'Parallel Stories' (2005) took 18 years to write and is over 1,000 pages.
- Susan Sontag called his 'Book of Memories' 'the greatest novel of our era'.
- Nádas was born in Budapest on October 14, 1942, into a Jewish family.
- He worked as a journalist until 1969 before becoming a full-time writer.
- He married Magda Salamon in 1990.
- He suffered a heart attack in 1993, leading to his book 'Death Alone' (2004).
- In 2022, he called Viktor Orbán's system 'a sort of Eastern European mafia'.
- He lived a simple life in the countryside, avoiding radio and television.
Entities
Artists
- Péter Nádas
- Susan Sontag
- Marcel Proust
- Magda Salamon
- Viktor Orbán
Institutions
- AFP
- Eötvös10
- Litera
- RFI
Locations
- Gombosszeg
- Transdanubia
- Budapest
- Hungary