In the political movements of 1861 he was to the front both as member of parliament and as newspaper editor. In 1860 he was elected member of the Kisfaludy Society, and in 1861 he became a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, of which institute he is now a member of the executive committee. He is also the president of the Petőfi Society.
His first novel was "A Hétköznapok" (Days of the Week), which appeared in 1846, and since then hardly a year elapsed without the issue of several volumes from his pen.
Amongst his novels the most celebrated are:
"Egy Magyar Nábob" (The Hungarian Nabob).
"Kárpáthy Zoltán."
"A Kőszívű Ember Fiai" (The Sons of the Stonehearted Man).
"Szerelem Bolondjai" (Love's Puppet).
"Névtelen Vár" (The Nameless Fortress).
"Erdély Aranykora" (The Golden Period of Transylvania).
"Bálványosvár" (Idol Fortunes).