HIGH BALL

One can say with confidence that Krisztina Tóth is one of the most significant poets of the past two decades, who has also made a name for herself in Hungarian literary life with her short stories that have their very own distinctive tone and have enjoyed considerable public success in recent years. High Ball is another important milestone in her poetry, showing both subtle refinement and radical reinvention: one half of the book is a rethinking of the rich Hungarian poetic tradition, sometimes serious, sometimes playful; while the other half presents us with acute life situations that, although everyday, carry within them tragedy and, through this, catharsis, due to their unrepeatable nature. In these wonderful and shocking texts, the lyrical self is able to focus on the essential moments that reveal the secrets of our existence, even in the most dramatic situations.