Pďż˝ter Esterhďż˝zy is one of the most widely known contemporary Hungarian writers. His books are considered to be significant contributions to postwar literature. He studied mathematics at ELTE university in Budapest from 1969 to 1974; his first writings were published in literary journals in 1974. He worked as a mathematician from 1974 to 1978, and he became a freelance writer in 1978. Esterhďż˝zy, the scion of a comital branch of the Esterhďż˝zy magnate family, is perhaps best known outside of his native country for Celestial Harmonies which chronicles his forefathers' epic rise during the Austro-Hungarian empire ? when Haydn composed music at the family palace ? to its dispossession under communism. His next novel, Revised Edition, which appeared as an "appendix" to the former work, was born from the shock when he learnt that his father was an informer for the secret police of the Communist era. The book deals with the research work as a diary, his father's unfolding activity, and the very process of his facing and digesting the facts. His works have been published in more than 20 languages. [More at Wikipedia]

April 14th, 1950 in Budapest (Age 74)