Mór Jókai (1825-1904) was the first Hungarian novelist to achieve world fame. The Man with the Golden Touch was published in several foreign languages in his lifetime, appearing in more than one English edition under the title Tímár's Two Worlds and in the U.S.A. as Modern Midas.
Set in a small town on the Danube—Komárom—where Jókai had spent his childhood, in the early years of the nineteenth century, it is the story of Mihály Timár. Chance brings him into a fabulous fortune, and from then on, he succeeds in all ventures he undertakes, and everything he touches turns to gold: his only failure, and one which comes to turn his riches to dross, is his marriage. In his search for happiness, he comes to hate his wealth. He finally escapes from his double life, and finds refuge on a wild island in the Danube where the love of a young girl, Noémi, gives real meaning to his existence.
The Man with the Golden Touch is a jewel of both Hungarian and world literature, and is indeed one of the most beautiful romantic novels.
