Jilț și caldarâm

Jilț și caldarâm traces two careers in politics. Their paths cross several times. The figures seek rank and power amid Central Europe's troubled capitalism. Their schemes show how those who rule try to keep control. The novel looks at group loyalty and flaws in democratic rule. It asks if those flaws cast doubt on the whole model.

Székely Ervin mocks politics with sharp wit and grotesque figures. Their tricks make readers laugh, but the humour tastes bitter. The book suits readers who like fiction about politics and power.

Ervin was born in Salonta on 19 August 1957. He studied law at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj. He worked as a legal adviser and wrote for the press. He then served in Romania's parliament from 1992 to 2004. He spent the next four years as a health ministry secretary of state. He later worked for Romania's public radio service. He is married and has a son and a granddaughter.

He has written five books in Hungarian. Two collect his work for the press; three are novels. This was his first book to appear in Romanian.