Knjiga o travama

In this book, we find 202 maxims/miniature essays in which the author expresses his thoughts about human nature and the world around him, usually shaped as direct philosophical and moral lessons for the reader. The author himself indicates its purpose at the beginning of the book: "This is not a scientific book, but rather like those taught in elementary school. The one who wrote it does not know the absolute truth and is often wrong in the details. Because he is human. But he searches for the absolute truth and is not ashamed if he is wrong in the details. Because he is human. So this book will be like that - like the old books about herbs that wanted to answer the questions of what to do if someone's heart hurts or God has abandoned them with simple examples. And the one who knows better should say better."

The book is not about ideas and heroes, but about what is related to man. Its author wants to teach others by learning, learning from the ancients, from books, through them from the human heart, from heavenly signs. He wants to convey elementary knowledge, that is, the fundamental truths of human life. Written in 1943, Sándor Márai dedicated the work to Epictetus, his dear Marcus Aurelius, Montaigne and all the Stoics, from whom he learned about power, goodwill and living without fear.