Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Gyula Krúdy (1878-1933)

(March 5/08)

A fenswag of snow, a veritable giant snowman snowfall of snow. I was bullied into this world on such a day, a day flagstaffed with snowman snow. When I was a boy I raved for snowy days, days of snow and swine. I would pull-up my snow-pants, cinching the elastic-band round my waist, slip-on my mukluks, double-knotted, wrap my toque-scarf round my face and vault into the fenswaggart day.

Today I purchased a copy of Gyula Krúdy's (born in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a maid working for the aristocratic Krúdy family. His parents did not marry until Gyula was 17 years old. In his teens, Gyula published newspaper pieces and began writing short stories. Although his father wanted him to become a lawyer, Gyula worked as an editor at a newspaper for several years, then moved to Budapest. He was disinherited, but supported his wife (also a writer) and children through the publication of two collections of short stories. Sinbad's Youth, published in 1911, proved a success, and Krudy used the character, a man who shared the name of the hero of the Arabian Nights, many times throughout his career) novel Sunflower, to be read and savored like a fine single-malt Scotch whisky.

I am inexpressively drawn to outsiders, sots, gadflies and creative geniuses, so it stands to reason, unreason if you like, that I was drawn to Gyula Krúdy. Like Bruno Schulz and the inimitable Robert Walser, two writers I adore beyond words, Gyula Krúdy will be a welcomed addition to my small, though well-appointed library.

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"Poetry is the short-circuiting of meaning between words, the impetuous regeneration of primordial myth". Bruno Schulz
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