Bridge at Andau
James A Mitchner

1958 – Bridge at Andau – James A Mitchner

At four o'clock in the morning on a Sunday in November 1956, the city of Budapest was awakened by the shattering sound of invading Russian tanks. The Hungarian revolution was over. But there was a bridge at Andau, on the Austrian border, and if a Hungarian could reach that bridge, he was might yet escape to freedom. A true story by bestselling author James A. Michener s searing and unforgettable as any of his works of fiction.

From the Publisher

The Bridge at Andau by James Michener tells the story of the Soviet suppression of Hungary in November 1956. The bridge at Andau was an escape route for Hungarian refugees fleeing to Austria. Michener was on the Austrian side of the border watching these young (average age was 23, including many children), well educated (from one university 500 students, 32 professors, and their families fled), and talented (including musicians, athletes, writers, engineers and other professionals) people come through swamps and guards to reach non-communist Austria. The Austrian people were exemplary in their welcome of the Hungarian refugees.

Randy Hickernell, Ballantine Sales Rep.

Criticism on Bridge at Andau by John Franklin

The Bridge at Andau was written in the mid 1950's by James A Michener. This is a documentary on the account of Hungary's people and the Communist influence from Russia. Although the people of Hungary lost in their fights with the ADO and the Russians, they showed us how determination and the will to survive can overcome even the strongest evil. It is a shame that they didn't overcome all in the end. Michener did an excellent job in preserving and recording the account of the Hungarian people as they were mistreated, abused, and murdered by the Russians. The torture and abuse that is described is simply unbelievable. Communism surely is a terrible governmental system. Michener's extremely graphic descriptions gave you the ability to create a very vivid picture in your head. The terrible things done to torture the people were described down to every last detail. And the fights with the ADO and the Russian tanks were described so well that it made you feel like you were there. The book could have been better if it had been a little less thorough, although all the details did add to some parts, it did start to get monotonous. If the whole book would have been written as first person, or actually in the life of one person, and he would have dropped the documentary stuff, it would have been a lot more interesting and more readable. To think that humans could treat other humans the way that the ADO and the Russians did is insane. To make some one stand staring into a bright light until the pass out and then beating the persons friends as punishment is inhuman. The routine beatings and torture just for fun is pure evil, the Russians have shown that this is what Communism stands for and that it is evil. This book is highly recommended as an eye opening tragedy but it takes a lot of time to read and understand. It shows how the Hungarian's will to survive and their determination overcame the Russians, the ADO, and Communism, even if their victory didn't last very long.