Today, we’re talking to Alison Langley whose debut novel, Ilona Gets a Phone, has at last been released in the U.S. Alison and I discuss the methods she used to convey Hungarian history without leaving her characters behind and how that history rings a warning bell for today.

Catch Alison and me at the Parkside Bookstore this Wednesday, July 9.

Watch a recording of our interview here. This audio/video version is available for one week. Missed it? Check out the podcast version above or on your favorite podcast platform.

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Alison Langley is a former foreign correspondent with extensive experience covering events across Europe, including Hungary, the setting for her 2024 debut novel Ilona Gets A Phone by Dedalus Books UK. Her short stories have been featured in several literary magazines, including one that was shortlisted for the Bournemouth Writing Prize. When not writing, Langley splits her time between the Swiss Alps and Brooklyn.

Women in Budapest march in honor of the Hungarian men who died in revolution fighting Soviet-backed communist regime.© Time Inc.Michael Rougier

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