Cider and Túró Rudi: An Interview with Jeremy Parrott

Magdolna Nemes

  Today we have with us Jeremy Parrott, who is a book collector and an assistant professor at the University of Szeged as well.

I think the thing that many people want to know is how did you become interested in collecting books? Do you know exactly how many books you have?

I started collecting books 25 years ago as a hobby. The first author I got interested in was Aldous Huxley and the very first rare book I consciously bought was a first edition of Brave New World – for one pound! I rapidly started selling books to pay for the cost of my collecting (which soon became a mania). I now have something like 30,000 books.

You not only collect books but write them as well. Change all the Names – a Samuel Beckett onomasticon was published in 2004 and a bibiography of Arthur Morrison’s first editions in 2007. What are you working on at the moment?

I am continuing to write bibliographies of lesser known Victorian and early 20th century British authors. I intend to publish a book on Baroness Orczy next. Although she was Hungarian by birth she wrote all her books in English, the most famous one being The Scarlet Pimpernel, which has been filmed at least 4 times.

Many people say Hungarian is the most difficult language in the world and it’s impossible to learn it. Do you agree?

Hungarians say Hungarian is the most difficult language in the world. I certainly don’t agree. It has no grammatical gender and only 2 tenses – just like English!

After having lived in Hungary for more then a decade I think you know us very well. As far as I know you also run special courses for foreign students who have just arrived in Szeged to study. What do you tell them about the most important features of Hungarian culture? How would  you describe Hungarian people?

I don’t try to influence the judgment of students coming to Hungary, but I do try to make them aware of some salient features of the culture and psychology. I emphasize the importance of history, from 896 to 1956 and beyond, and would describe the Hungarians as a romantic and nostalgic people, dreaming of a lost Golden Age, which almost certainly never existed.

You have worked in many countries in Europe, Africa and Asia and taught students from all over the world. What are Hungarian students like?

If I can make some sweeping over-generalization, I would say that Hungarian students are intelligent but too well schooled. By this I mean that the system encourages memorization but stifles original thinking.

England is not too far from Hungary and you are a frequent flier to London. Is there anything that you miss when you are in England? And vice versa, is there anything you would like to import to Hungary?

I have often thought there could be a useful trading relationship between Britain and Hungary - exporting cider and importing Turó Rudi. You can get cider now in Hungary, but it is still a luxury drink. With all the apples grown here, cider-making should become a local industry. I also miss the variety of available restaurant food. Thai and Indian cooking are very popular in Britain, and if I want to each such food here I have to cook it myself.

Imagine your friend wants to move to Hungary. What advice would you give him?

Unless he is on an expatriate salary and doing a great job my advice would be - Don’t!

It has been very interesting talking to you but it is time for the last question. You have participated in several conferences from Australia to Finland, worked in Libya and Algeria and of course, have travelled a lot as a tourist as well. Do you have a favourite city or country in the world? Where would you like to go next?

My favourite city has to be Sydney – a huge, modern city where you can go surfing in the Pacific, or take a cruise in the harbour. Fantastic! My favourite countries are both in the Far East -–Thailand and Indonesia. The first for culture and food, the second for scenery. I’ve never been to South America and would love to spend time up in the Andes. Yucatan in Mexico also appeals to me, and if Burma ever gets a representative government and is opened up to the world then I would definitely want to go there.

Thank you very much indeed.