The Inflatable Buddha is a warm, witty and poignant account of the lives of three boys from disparate cultural backgrounds, set against the dramatic backdrop of Hungary’s recent history. Pál, Isti and Dávid are closely connected, through shared roots in Tövispuszta, a fictitious settlement, and in the everyday joys and struggles of their respective families, relationships and careers. András Kepes’ narrative is at once realistic, intimate and universally appealing. It also offers an insightful overview of events in Hungary as they unfurl, as seen through the protagonists’ eyes – in a single lifetime, the country’s political and cultural landscape undergoes more challenges and changes to allegiance, geographical borders, beliefs and regimes than most other nations experience in their entire history.