"Hi Bela,
I have just received the books I purchased from you on ebay. I have been collecting miniature books now for a couple of years & I have to say the quality of these beautiful books are as fine a quality as anybook in my collection. Also I must say I am amazed at the professional way you carry out your transactions with your customers. People like you deserve to be supported in a world where personal service has all but dissappeared. If you can supply me with any other miniature books (3"ins or less) I would be very happy to consider them. I already have quite a few Hungarian books in my collection but not being able to read them easily as I do not speak Hungarian it is great to be able to read your books on this occassion. If you could recommend me to any other sellers or collectors I would be very appreciative. Without doubt this has been my best buying experience & I will leave much deserved positive feedback for you. Please feel free to contact me at any time.
Kind Regards,
Joe Sciascia"
Excerpts from the book
My father and his books
The Centre of the World
"(...) I closed my eyes and recalled the dream Mother had told me: the farm, the ironed trousers and the cane. I saw myself as a tall and handsome gentleman, braiding the silk of the corn stalks. For a long time, I dared not open my eyes, for that tall, serious man in the white trousers was standing so close to me that I could actually smell the pleasant scent of his clean clothes.
His cane was bright, and his eyes shone of an elusive intelligence. The cane gave off an aura of power, and his straight posture that of strength. This man was no longer me, and I did not want to become him anymore. (...)"
The Dogwood's Will
"(...) Knave stayed on the top of the mound, alone with the whole flock. He was not a pup anymore: he was four years old, which, in canine terms, meant adulthood. Knave immediately understood his task, for the crook that struck the stone a moment before was the same one that taught him the craft of shepherding when he was young. He sat on the stone on top of the mound, and licked his muzzle with his long tongue. He was watching the flock, and the alfalfa field which was a bit further away from the sheep. Even the most respectable ram was not allowed to go in there. Why was it not allowed, Knave did not know. (...)"
Modest Inheritance
"(...) A gentleman. Lajos Szűki, swine herder of the village. A new hat on his head, a whip leaning on his shoulder, and a mongrel Puli panting at his feet, mocking poverty with its long tongue. The swine herder became a gentleman. There was grief in his heart, for the old Szűki, his father, was laid to rest in the side of hill, bequeathing two acres of land to his son, the swine herder, now a gentleman. (...)"
The Bustard
"(...)This was where things turned sour. The other two mowers considered the sick man selfish. They whispered to each other, and when they got to the end of the row, they sharpened their scythes like never before. The younger man went on to the next row, and the taller one rested next to the road until the sick man caught up to them and started scything the next row. The tall man followed him and continued working.
The young man's scythe went back and forth swiftly, and the tall one worked with similar diligence at the back. They went around the field twice, but the sickly man in the middle did not stop to rest. (...)"
Dog or Mutt
"(...) At this time, he still believed in the saying: "Dog or mutt, all the same."
From that day on, he never found the time to throw a piece of bread or a bone to his dog. He did not even bring her a bowl of water. The man left these chores for the woman to do, while he went about with his own work. However, it was always him who brought Paw her generous Sunday morning breakfast. Raw horse liver, cut into neat pieces! He always fed the dog from his hand, bit by bit. While Paw ate, the man stroke her big head, and gently whispered in her ear.
"Did the evil lady starve you? Bad lady!" he said to Paw. "There's a good dog." (...)"
Responses from the press (English subtitles available):
Excerpt from Kecskeméti TV's "Városon kívül" report show (2016. 01. 20.)
Béla Zelei, Sr.: The Centre of the World - and Lajosmizse (video montage of various press reviews)
