They Were Counted

An extraordinary portrait of the vanished world of pre-1914 Hungary. They Were Counted is the first volume of Bánffy’s trilogy, rediscovered after the fall of communism in Hungary. Through the eyes of two cousins, Count Balint Abady and Count Laszlo Gyeroffy, it unfolds against shooting parties in grand country houses, turbulent parliamentary scenes, and the luxury of Budapest. The narrative offers a piercing critique of upper-class frivolity and political folly, where civility masks indifference and brutality. Abady champions the Romanian mountain peasants he discovers, while Gyeroffy squanders his wealth at gaming tables, mirroring the empire’s decline. This edition presents the renowned tale in translation with a Foreword by Patrick Leigh-Fermor, continuing the saga that includes They Were Found Wanting and They Were Divided.

The novel was rediscovered for an international readership after the fall of communism in Hungary, bringing a vivid, prescient voice to a world that would soon vanish.

• Eerste volume van Bánffy-trilogie
• Spanning pre-1914 Hongarije
• Vertaling door Patrick Thursfield en Katalin Banffy-Jelen
• Voorwoord door Patrick Leigh-Fermor
• Weidenfeld Translation Prize winnaar
• 656 pagina’s, paperback uitgave door Quercus