1959: born in Debrecen, Hungary. Graduates from Szentendre’s Franciscan High School.
1978–1981: manual worker.
1981-1982: teacher assistant at the Institute for the Mentally Disabled, Kömlőd.
1982–1988: takes university courses in Debrecen, Budapest, München, and learns classical music privately.
1988: graduates from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest with degrees in Hungarian language/literature and Aesthetics.
1990: earns his doctoral degree at ELTE, with a dissertation entitled Hermann Hesse világképe (The World View of Hermann Hesse).
1988–1994: teaches literature and aesthetics in secondary schools for the arts in Budapest.
1990–1992: instructor of music aesthetics at the Department of Cultural History, ELTE.
1994–2000: freelance writer.
2000–2015: museum attendant.
2015–2021: lives in Jakarta as a freelance writer.
2021–2022: lecturer of visual aesthetics at Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, Eger.
2022 to present: freelance writer.

Awards

2019: Milán Füst Prize
2013: Aegon Prize, Üveggolyó Prize
2010: The Ninth was longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (Dublin, Ireland)
2010: The Ninth was longlisted for the Best Translated Book Award (Three Percent, USA)
2006: Tibor Déry Prize
2001: Sándor Márai Prize (together with Péter Esterházy and Győző Határ)

Fellowships and other awards

2022/23: János Térey fellowship, Hungary
2015: Maison des Écrivains Étrangers et des Traducteurs, France
2013: Ledig House, USA
2011: Yaddo, USA
2008: National Endowment for the Arts, USA (trans. The Parasite)
2007: PEN America (trans. The Ninth)
2004: Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, USA
2003: Edward F. Albee Foundation, USA
2002: Yaddo, USA
2001: MacDowell, USA