József Jolán (1899-1950) also wrote two highly successful books about his younger brother: a more scientific, factual biography - The Life of József Attila (1940) - and the biographical novel that can be read in this volume (1950). After their mother's death in December 1919, Jolán took in Attila and his sister Etus and took care of them for years together with her husband, Ödön Makai, who was also Attila's official guardian. On the outskirts of the city, on the one hand, it is one of the most important sources for those who want to study the life and poetry of Attila József, and on the other hand, it is a novel by a talented writer, which, in addition to the often shocking events of the great poet's life, also provides a sensitive chronology. József Jolán himself experienced the now almost unbelievable misery and vulnerability of the proletarians of the Horthy era, and his book still touches the heart of the reader. Perhaps the greatest value of the work is that it shows what desire for knowledge and dedication worked in Attila József even at a young age, and how many sacrifices he had to make in order to become the poet that many still name as their greatest favorite.