Climb

The narrative follows a path from the build-up to the two world wars to the events of 1956 in Hungary. It is presented as a true account of what those events were like, and it does not offer a neat or hopeful resolution.

The author draws a direct line between that year and the war now unfolding in Ukraine, which they argue is no different from what Hungary endured. They are frustrated that 1956 has been told so rarely, and that the yearly November remembrance pledge is made but not kept. Hungary's collapse was largely buried, many people were killed or forced to flee for their lives, and the Danube is described as running crimson with bloodshed. The family lost enormously, and their arrival in Britain brought freedom, though little else.

The author credits their grandparents and friends with helping to fill in gaps in the story. Every event described is true, and only some names have been changed to protect people who may still be alive. The author is still searching for relatives and hopes the book will help them reconnect with the family members they have not yet found.