Mikor a mécses már csak pislog: Elbeszélések

In the bustling streets of early‑1900s Budapest, the sharp divide between glittering Pest and the more provincial Buda becomes a source of satire and affection. The narrator, a keen‑eyed observer, wanders between the two halves, noting the pretensions of fashionable cafés in Pest and the homely vigor of Buda’s taverns. Through witty digressions and local anecdotes, the book paints a vivid portrait of a city teetering between modern ambition and nostalgic charm.

At the heart of the story lies the modest tavern known as the “White Peacock,” run by the shrewd yet warm‑hearted Polish widow Jahodovsky. When the ever‑curious Balázs Sándor, a figure likened to a second Dickens, guides a few friends through its narrow doorway, they encounter cramped tables, fragrant dishes, and a deliberately limited clientele that makes every regular feel like a privileged guest. The narrative captures the texture of conversation, the clatter of cutlery, and the subtle economics of hospitality, offering listeners a taste of Budapest’s lesser‑known corners without spilling the larger plot ahead.