An Introduction to Twentieth–Century Czech Ficti – Comedies of Defiance

This book is a lucid and balanced appraisal of some of the best Czech fiction of the twentieth century. The Introduction sets out some of the chief features of Czech literature, notably its preoccupations with lyricism, civic-mindedness, and comedy. There follow chapters on Capek, Haek, Hrabal, kvoreck, Pavel, Klma, and a final chapter on Hodrov, Viewegh and Topol. The book spans the entire century from the newly created Czechoslovakia after 1918, through the years of Nazi occupation and Communist rule, the Prague Spring and finally on to the Velvet Revolution of 1989.