author
János Varga
1844–1881
A 19th-century Hungarian writer and lawyer, he is best remembered for A babonák könyve, a striking survey of popular superstitions and folk beliefs. His work still stands out for the way it captures everyday fears, customs, and storytelling from its time.
1 Audiobook
A babonák könyve
by János Varga
About the author
Born in 1844, he was a Hungarian lawyer who also wrote under the pen name Bagó Matyi. He served in Arad and is recorded as having died there in 1881.
His best-known book, A babonák könyve (published in 1877), gathers and examines Hungarian superstitions, including beliefs about witchcraft, ghosts, curses, and fortune-telling. Modern library records and later descriptions of the book show that it has continued to attract attention as a vivid source on folk belief and everyday culture.
Although not widely known today outside specialist circles, his writing offers an engaging window into how people in 19th-century Hungary explained luck, danger, illness, and the unknown. That mix of curiosity, skepticism, and close observation gives his work lasting charm.