George Mikes

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George Mikes (1960)

George (György) Mikes (born February 15, 1912 in Siklós , † August 15, 1987 in London ) was a British writer of Hungarian origin. His mostly humorous - satirical works have been translated into numerous languages.

Life

Mikes studied law in Budapest and started working as a journalist after graduating. In the late 1930s he was sent to England as a correspondent . The outbreak of World War II forced him to stay in England, where he started working for several English newspapers and magazines. At the end of the war he stayed in the country that had meanwhile become his new home.

In 1946 he wrote his best-known book, How to Be an Alien , in which he describes England from the foreigner's point of view with dry humor. The book had an unexpectedly great success and was reprinted several times. The chapter on sex, which consists of a single sentence: “Continental people have sex life; the English have hot-water bottles. "

After this success, Mikes wrote other how-to books, such as How to Be Affluent , How to Be Poor , How to Scrape Skies (about the USA ) and How to Be God .

Works (in German)

  • Wisdom for others . Zsolnay, Vienna 1952. (Original Wisdom for others , Allan Wingate Limited, London 1950)
  • Shakespeare and Mikes . Zsolnay, Vienna 1953.
  • ...above all. Objective trip through Germany . Illustrated by David Langdon . German by NO Scarpi . Diogenes, Zurich 1953. (Original Über Alles - Germany explored , André Deutsch Limited, London 1953)
  • Allons enfants ... reunion with France . Illustrated by David Langdon. German by NO Scarpi. Diogenes, Zurich 1955.
    • abridged version (paperback) as: France for beginners . ibid. no year
  • Speaking of holidays . Diogenes, Zurich 1955.
  • Revolution in Hungary . Scherz & Goverts, Stuttgart 1957.
  • Italy for beginners. A funny cicerone with marginal drawings by Chaval . Diogenes, Zurich 1957.
    • Abridged version (paperback) with the same title: ibid. 1963.
  • Milk and honey. The discovery of Israel . Diogenes, Zurich 1958.
  • Dwarf states for beginners. Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra . Diogenes, Zurich 1959.
  • Far Eastern divan. A trip to Asia in eighty days . With drawings by Paul Flora . Translated from the English by Friedrich Torberg . Diogenes, Zurich 1959.
  • Strange people. England and America rediscovered . Ullstein, Frankfurt am Main 1960.
  • How do you become an original? Scherz, Bern / Munich / Vienna 1961.
  • Switzerland for beginners. Observations by a foreigner . Diogenes, Zurich 1961.
    • Revised and expanded edition as: Switzerland for beginners . Econ, Düsseldorf / Vienna 1977; Econ, Munich 1988, ISBN 3-430-16728-0 .
  • Scandinavia for beginners . Diogenes, Zurich 1962.
  • Saludos amigos. South American fair . Translated from the English by Ursula von Wiese . Scherz, Bern / Munich / Vienna 1962.
  • India for beginners. A cheerful course . Diogenes, Zurich 1963.
  • Japan for beginners. Cheerful reflections . Diogenes, Zurich 1963.
  • England for beginners or “How to be an Alien” . Diogenes, Zurich 1964. (Original How to be an alien , 1946)
  • The ideal purpose in life . Novel. Scherz, Bern / Munich / Vienna 1964.
  • Strange Europe. Collected travel experiences . Scherz, Bern / Munich / Vienna 1966.
  • Potatoes only with caviar. Treatise on the Comfortable Life . Econ, Düsseldorf 1967.
  • Eureka! Among happy gods and hospitable Greeks . Scherz, Bern / Munich / Vienna 1967.
  • Love crazy world. Collected travel experiences from 4 continents . Scherz, Bern / Munich / Vienna 1968.
  • The day starts well with geishas . In the land of the rising yen . Econ, Düsseldorf 1970.
  • Don't take life too seriously. Humorous considerations for times without humor (original title: Humor in Memoriam , translated by Ursula Princess zu Hohenlohe ( Ursula von Zedlitz )). Econ, Düsseldorf 1971; mvg, Landsberg am Lech 1982, ISBN 3-478-02780-2 .
  • Greetings from Jerusalem. Visiting Israel . Econ, Düsseldorf 1972.
  • Thoughts are duty free. Experience in Bavaria, Austria, Yugoslavia and Hungary . Econ, Düsseldorf 1973.
  • The spies die bored. A satirical novel . Marion von Schröder, Düsseldorf 1974. (Original The spy who died of boredom , André Deutsch Limited, London 1973)
  • Such a cat's life ... tenderness on gentle paws (original title: Tsi-Tsa , translated by Klaus Machold). Marion von Schröder, Düsseldorf 1979, Moewig, Rastatt, 1987, ISBN 3-8118-2463-5 .
  • The pleasure of being decadent. On the Art of Living in England Econ, Düsseldorf 1979; Droemer Knaur, Munich / Zurich 1981, ISBN 3-426-03652-5 . (Original How to Bee Decadent , André Deutsch Ltd. 1977)
  • It's easier to live smiling. Joke, satire, humor from all over the world . Translated by Klaus Machold, illustrated by Steffen E. Köpf. Econ, Düsseldorf 1981, ISBN 3-430-16725-6 ; Moewig, Rastatt 1987, ISBN 3-8118-4867-4 .
  • Rich with empty pockets (original title: How to Bee Poor , translated by Gernot Barschke, illustrated by Karl-H. Volkmann). Econ, Düsseldorf 1983, ISBN 3-8118-2463-5 . (Original 1983 by André Deutsch Ltd.)
  • How to be a guru , André Deutsch Ltd., 1984

Web links

Wikiquote: George Mikes  - Quotes
personal data
SURNAME Mikes, George
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mikes, György
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British writer of Hungarian origin
DATE OF BIRTH February 15, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH Siklós , Hungary
DATE OF DEATH August 15, 1987
Place of death London