Magda Szabó facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Magda Szabó
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Magda Szabó in 2005
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| Born | 5 October 1917 Debrecen, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 19 November 2007 (aged 90) Kerepes, Hungary |
| Years active | 1947–1987 |
Magda Szabó (born October 5, 1917, died November 19, 2007) was a famous Hungarian writer. She wrote many different kinds of books. These included novels, plays, essays, and even books for children. Magda Szabó is one of Hungary's most translated authors. Her books have been published in 42 countries and more than 30 languages! She was also a founding member of the Digital Literary Academy.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Magda Szabó was born in Debrecen, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time, in 1917. She studied at the University of Debrecen. In 1940, she graduated as a teacher of Latin and Hungarian.
After graduating, she started teaching right away. She taught at the Protestant Girls Boarding School. This was in Debrecen and Hódmezővásárhely. From 1945 to 1949, she worked for the government. She was part of the Ministry of Religion and Education. In 1947, she married Tibor Szobotka, who was also a writer and translator.
Starting Her Writing Journey
Magda Szabó began her writing career by writing poetry. Her first book of poems, Bárány (meaning "Lamb"), came out in 1947. Another poetry book, Vissza az emberig ("Back to the Human"), followed in 1949.
In 1949, she won the Baumgarten Prize, a special award for writers. However, the award was taken away from her on the same day. This happened because the government at the time, which was Communist, did not approve of her work. She also lost her job at the Ministry that year.
During this time, from 1949 to 1956, the government controlled what writers could publish. They only allowed books that fit their ideas. Magda Szabó's books did not fit these rules. Because of this, she could not publish her writings. She had to teach at a girls' school until 1959.
Famous Novels and Stories
Even though she couldn't publish, Magda Szabó kept writing. Her first novel, Freskó ("Fresco"), was published in 1958. This book tells the story of a family gathering for a funeral. It explores ideas about honesty and looks at Hungarian history.
In the same year, she published another book of poetry for kids. It was called Bárány Boldizsár ("Lawrence the Lamb"). She also wrote a novel for young women, Mondják meg Zsófikának ("Tell Young Sophie").
Exploring Characters and Life
In 1959, her novel Az őz ("The Fawn") was released. This book is about an actress trying to overcome a difficult childhood. It shows the deep thoughts and feelings of a modern woman.
Magda Szabó continued to write for young women. She published Álarcosbál ("Masked Ball") in 1961. Születésnap ("Birthday") followed in 1962. In 1963, she wrote Pilátus ("Iza's Ballad"). This story is about a female doctor and her relationship with her mother.
Beloved Books for Young Readers
One of her most popular books for children is Tündér Lala ("Lara the Fairy"). It was published in 1965. In 1969, she wrote Katalin utca ("Katalin Street"). This book shows what life was like in Hungary after World War II.
Her most famous novel is Abigél ("Abigail"), published in 1970. It's an adventure story about a young girl during World War II. Abigél was so popular that it became a TV series in 1978. It was also turned into a musical in 2008.
Personal Stories and Plays
Starting in 1971, Magda Szabó began writing books about her own family history. The first was Ókút ("The Ancient Well"). Then came Régimódi történet ("Old-Fashioned Story"). In 2002, she continued this series with Für Elise. This book shares her memories from 1917 to 1935. It is one of her most loved books in Hungarian.
She also wrote plays. In 1975, she published a collection called Az órák és a farkasok ("The Wolf Hours"). Two more plays, Erőnk szerint ("According to Our Strength") and Béla Király ("King Béla"), came out in 1984.
The Door and World Fame
Her novel Az ajtó (The Door) was published in 1987. This book became famous all over the world. It tells the story of the special relationship between a writer and her mysterious housekeeper. Many people have praised The Door. For example, Claire Messud from The New York Times said it changed her outlook on life. Cynthia Zarin from The New Yorker called it "a bone-shaking book." The Door was translated into English in 1995 and again in 2005.
Awards and Special Recognition
Magda Szabó received many awards for her writing:
- 1949: She was awarded the Baumgarten Prize, but it was taken back the same day.
- 1959, 1972: She won the József Attila, a top Hungarian literary award.
- 1978: She was awarded the Kossuth Prize.
- 2003: A French translation of The Door won the Prix Femina étranger. This is a French award for the best foreign novel.
- Her novel Abigél was chosen as the sixth most popular novel in the Hungarian version of Big Read. Three more of her novels were in the top 100: Für Elise, An Old-Fashioned Story, and The Door.
- 2006: The English translation of The Door by Len Rix won the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize. It was also shortlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 2006.
- 2007: The French translation of Katalin Street won the 2007 Prix Cévannes.
- 2015: The English translation of The Door was listed as one of the New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of 2015.
- 2018: She won the PEN Translation Prize for Katalin Street, translated by Len Rix.
- 2019: Katalin Street was shortlisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation.
- 2020: Katalin Street was long-listed for the Hyman Wingate Prize for Writing about Jewry.
- 2020: Abigail was shortlisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation.
A Special Tribute
On October 5, 2017, Google celebrated Magda Szabó's 100th birthday. They honored her with a special Google Doodle on their homepage.
See also
In Spanish: Magda Szabó para niños
