The Bridge at Andau is James A. Michener at his most gripping. His classic nonfiction account of a doomed uprising is as searing and unforgettable as any of his bestselling novels. For five brief, glorious days in the autumn of 1956, the Hungarian revolution gave its people a glimpse at a different kind of future—until, at four o’clock in the morning on a Sunday in November, the citizens of … citizens of Budapest awoke to the shattering sound of Russian tanks ravaging their streets. The revolution was over. But freedom beckoned in the form of a small footbridge at Andau, on the Austrian border. By an accident of history it became, for a few harrowing weeks, one of the most important crossings in the world, as the soul of a nation fled across its unsteady planks.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James A. Michener’s Hawaii.
Praise for The Bridge at Andau
“Precise, vivid . . . immeasurably stirring.”—The Atlantic Monthly
“Dramatic, chilling, enraging.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“Superb.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Highly recommended reading.”—Library Journal
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A sad case of lack of fortitude on the part of the free world.
A good write up of a fascinating time in history.
A small piece of history, about the short lived and failed attempt of Hungary to overthrow Russian communisim in 1956. This was written in the cold war and details the failings of communism as perpetrated upon the people of Hungary by Russia. It is a compelling indictment of cold war Russian and their manipulation of the sattelite countries under …
I remember distinctly the Hungarian revolution and the horrible way that the Russians violated the international flag of truce and just crushed the movement without mercy or pity. One of the young revolutionaries who had luckily escaped, emigrated to England and joined our company. He was very quiet and said little about his experiences, but he …
Great introduction to a courageous peole.
I have long been a fan of Michener, although I find his books sometimes more tutorial than storytelling. This book, however, comes across as anti-communist propaganda straight out of the McCarthy era . . . understandable from a book written in 1957 when thousands of people were fleeing Hungary, a time I remember. It is less a collection of …
Reading Mitchner is a great way to learn history.
I highly recommend anyone to read this well written haunting reminder of the reality of communism gone wrong and the unbelievably harsh interactions between human beings.
It was by James Minchner what more can you say. He is the master story teller and ,for me, he makes history come alive. I am to young to remember The Hungarian take over by Russia. Shame on the USA.
I started college in 1957. 4 of my classmates were escapees from Hungary. I never really undersood their story very well. I was curious at the time, but being a shy farm kid and their limited english skill about all I ever did with them was share a couple of cups of coffee. I wonder where they are today.
Michener at his best – which he always seems to be. I love Hungary and its people –
I was fortunate to study music there. What Russia did to Hungary is unforgivable – and that the world let it happen is just as bad.
A great read – I hop everyone reads this.
I’m just reading this now. Michener has long been my favorite author and I thought I had read everything he wrote until I saw this one on bookbub. I immediately bought it and have been very happy I did as it’s been a long time since I have read anything by him. He was such an excellent writer. I highly recommend everything he wrote.
Hauntingly stark portrait of war.
The story of the Hungarian Revolution of October 1956 fills in so much of the story that I, who was a college freshman at that time, never knew. I heard from a friend who was one of those young men, in his case 16, who fought the Russian tanks in Budapest. He left Hungary like many others and only brought a hand grenade and a Russian riffle as a …
Read this book years ago and and still feel as if I just read it. Wonderful writer!
Michener’s The Bridge at Andau is his nearly contemporary telling of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution from his cross-border perspective in Austria. Budapest bore the brunt of the Russian retaliation but the described individual and selfless acts of bravery by the Hungarian citizenry inspire and illuminate.
I am a Hungarian refugee who lived through these events. I was only five years old
and my sister was two. My mother and father told us this history of our former country. Th secret police were a terror!!!
James Michener, winner of a Pulitzer Prize for fiction, shows he has the chops for non-fiction as well. Great account of the events surrounding the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. I read this book twice when I was younger and just purchased the ebook so that I can read it again.