Read Time:1 Minute, 35 Second
Sometimes truth really is stranger (and
more interesting) than fiction—like in this thoroughly researched yet often unbelievable
book about a professional hockey player turned legendary bank robber.
In
1988, Transylvanian Attila Ambrus arrived in Hungary, after a daring escape from Romania,
with little more than the clothes on his back and his dream of a better life. After
begging for a try-out with Budapest’s professional hockey team, the eager yet
not-so-talented Attila was given an unpaid position as the team’s janitor, Zamboni
driver, and backup goalie. No matter how many legitimate side jobs Attila took, he
couldn’t seem to make enough money to survive—so, like many others in Hungary at the
time, he began working riskier, higher-paying jobs. When his pelt-smuggling job fell
through, he needed a way to maintain the lifestyle he’d become used to, so he took up
bank robbery.
Ballad of the Whiskey Robber is the true story of
Attila’s rise from penniless illegal immigrant to a sort of Hungarian hero—the mysterious
Whiskey Robber, who stole the hearts of bank tellers, TV hosts, and the Hungarian people
while repeatedly fending off the Hungarian police.
Rubinstein does an
excellent job of telling this spellbinding story in effortless, novel-like style,
complete with a full cast of colorful characters. At the same time, however, he also
throws in plenty of history lessons and provides memorable North American reference
points—everything from movies that were playing at the time, to American political
events, to the reports of Wayne Gretzky’s new million-dollar home, while his Hungarian
counterparts took on second and third jobs just to make ends meet—to remind you that it’s
not just another work of fiction.
Ballad of the Whiskey Robber is
a book that you’ll have a hard time putting down—and an even harder time forgetting.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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