Nyaralás után, külföldi utak elõtt, s mindenképp a szabadságok szezonjában írom nektek ezt a levelet.

Mint azt az érdeklõdõk tudhatják vagy észrevehették, az Alexandra könyvesházban június végén lezártam az irodalmi beszélgetések sorozatát, melyet az alexandrások Vámos-klubnak neveztek el. Kezdetben úgy éreztem, túl kommerciális ez a cím, de aztán lassacskán megszoktam. Most már semlegesnek tetszik. Nem tudom, nektek hogyan hangzott az elején, s miként most, azt hiszem, már mindegy, rajta ragadt.

Az utolsó társalgást Parti Nagy Lajossal bonyolítottam. Az õszi folytatás októberben kezdõdik, mert a szeptembert, mint arra már céloztam, Németországban töltöm. Már összeírtam azokat az írókat, akik eddig nem kerültek sorra. Rajtuk kívül szeretnék beszélgetni néhány mûvésszel, akiket a magyar irodalom barátjának érzek. Elsõsorban színészekkel, akik sok verset szavalnak, és zenészekkel, akik versekbõl komponáltak örökbecsû dalokat. Mindez szervezés alatt áll.

Augusztusban hosszabb londoni utazás és rövidebb olaszországi nyaralás vár rám, utóbbi a tengerparton. Így gyakorlatilag a július áll rendelkezésemre, hogy minden írnivalót befejezzek, ami határidõs, így a nyári levelet is. Tartok tõle, hogy a szeptemberivel csak október elején tudok elõállni, hiszen Németországban annyi minden egyéb feladatom lesz. De majd meglátjuk.

Most arról szeretnék beszámolni, amit a net-bubusok már észrevehettek: egyike lettem a Washington Post által kiválasztott 24 írónak, akik heti rendszerességgel válaszolnak a lap által föltett kérdésekre. Az érdekesebb válaszok olvashatóak a Psotglobal nevezetû site-on, http://blog.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/ néhányat a lap is közöl. Elég nagy élvezettel végzem ezt a munkát, magam sem értem, miért. Talán az angol nyelv élvezete a kulcs.

Idemásolom az egyik legutóbbi cikkecskét. Felül a kérdés, alatta a válasz, elõször a kinti szerkesztõ által javított változat, aztán az eredeti, amit én írtam "Hunglish" nyelven. Az angolosokat talán érdekelheti.

Mindenkinek nagyon jó, hosszú és forró nyarat kívánok. Magamnak pedig azt, hogy õszre sikerüljön teljes gõzzel a regénybe lendülnöm.

Az õszi viszontlátásig maradok hívetek,

VM

   Question: Fifty years ago, the Hungarian people rose up to fight for freedom. The United States, despite a lot of brave talk, essentially did nothing. Given the recent experience with intervention in Iraq. Did the United States do the right thing 50 years ago in deciding not to intervene in support of the Hungarian Revolution? Or did it miss a chance to break the Soviet empire three decades before the fall of the Berlin Wall?

   Answer:

   FINAL: From Budapest: Between Warring and Waiting

   Budapest, Hungary.

   While I write this, President Bush is having breakfast in the best hotel in Budapest. I am invited for the lunch he is going to be having in the gigantic Hungarian Parliament building, full of Hungarian politicians and celebrities. I have to pass on the lunch, I am afraid, because, due to safety measures, our city is practically paralyzed by police forces. Otherwise, I would absolutely be there -- a writer never knows when he may need the description of such an event for a novel.

   In 1989, I was also interested in the first visit of an American President to Hungary when Bush, the Father, showed up. The whole country believed that he brought with him an important financial support plan. But Senior Bush didn't give us more than speeches.

   The US spent zillions for the fight against communism. Why didn't it spend a few billion helping East European countries' shift from democracy and capitalism? The US simply waited until the Berlin Wall and socialism had collapsed. Its behavior was the same in 1956.

   Hungary was encouraged by the enthusiastic statements of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. The President of the US said: "Budapest is no longer merely the name of a city. Henceforth, it is a new and shining symbol of man's yearning to be free." But when the Russian Red Army crushed the Hungarian Revolution, the President and its government were quiet.

   I am not claiming that the US should have started a local war here. Still, there are many means and solutions to help a nation fighting for its freedom. You can send a lot of things: money, merchandise, and yes, brave and clear (public) messages. You can (publicly) negotiate with the other superpower. You can give up some other fronts or bridgeheads in other parts of the world as an exchange.

   Yes, the cold war could have ended 50 years earlier, if... Unfortunately, history and its analysis doesn't tolerate the word "if". We must use "when" instead of "if." "When" will the politicians of the US understand that between the two extremes -- fighting wars or simply waiting for something -- there are a great number of good and realistic steps?

 

   Fighting Wars or Simply Waiting for

   While I am writing this, President Bush is having breakfast in the best hotel in Budapest. I am invited for the lunch he is going to be have in the gigantic building of the Hungarian Parliament, in the company of Hungarian politicians and celebrities. I have to pass on that, I am afraid, because, due to safety measures, our city is practically paralyzed by police forces. Otherwise, I would absolutely be there-a writer never knows when he may need the description of such an event in a novel. In 1989, I was also interested in the first visit of an American President here, Bush, the Father, showed up. The whole country believed he brings an important financial support plan. Senior Bush didn't give us more than speeches. The US has spent zillions for the fight against communism. Why didn't it spend a few billions for helping East European countries' shift, to get back into democracy and capitalism?

   The US simply waited until the Berlin Wall and socialism as such collapsed. Its behavior was the same in 1956. Hungary was encouraged by the enthusiastic statements of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. The President of the US said: "Budapest is no longer merely the name of a city. Henceforth, it is a new and shining symbol of man's yearning to be free." But when the Russian Red Army crushed the Hungarian Revolution, the President and its government were quiet. I am not claiming that the US should have started a local war here. Still, there are many means and solutions to help a nation fighting for its freedom. You can send a lot of things, money, merchandise, and yes, brave and clear (public) messages. You can (publicly) negotiate with the other super power. You can give up some other fronts or bridgeheads in other parts of the world as an exchange.

   Yes, the cold war could have ended 50 years earlier, if… Unfortunately, history and its analysis doesn't tolerate the word "if". When you analyze history, "if" is not the correct word. Use "when" instead of "if." When will the politicians of the US understand that between the two extreme solutions-fighting wars or simply waiting for something-there are a great number of good and realistic steps?