János Varga

Born in 1844 and dying young in 1881, János Varga was a Hungarian author whose surviving reputation is closely tied to A babonák könyve (The Book of Superstitions). Project Gutenberg identifies him as the author of that work and dates him to 1844–1881.

A babonák könyve is a wide-ranging study of superstition in Hungarian life. Rather than celebrating folklore uncritically, it examines popular beliefs, their origins, and the harm they could do, while making a case for education, reason, and social progress.

Available evidence also links him with the legal profession, and a Hungarian Wikipedia page identifies him as a lawyer. Even from the limited biographical record that is easy to confirm, he stands out as a writer interested in how ordinary beliefs shape society — and in how knowledge might challenge them.