We are the real countries

Did you know that Count Almasy was a real person?? I had no idea until two days ago. Numb-brained from the frenetic pace of the new job, I thought I'd engage in some random internet researching -- an activity I find quite soothing, and hereby am I further outing myself to you as a massive, massive nerd -- and looked up The English Patient on Wikipedia. And there it was: Laszlo Almasy was indeed a real spy! Judging from the sculpted bust, his beauty did nothing to rival Ralph Fiennes' dreamy, slightly girlish loveliness, but that's neither here nor there. Quickly, quickly, I ran over to Amazon and typed in the simplified version of his rather complicated Hungarian name (if one types it correctly there is all manner of accents sprinkled liberally over the letters) and found several biographies. Oh dear. I feel another obsession coming on. Don't worry, Sir Shackleton and Captain Worsley; Almasy cannot possibly replace you. But he may just give you a good run for your money.