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Czechs in HistoryBittersweet prose - a look at the life and work of writer Ota Pavel
'How I Came to Know Fish' - for years I glimpsed this elegant volume of
short stories in Prague's English-language bookstores, at times wondering
over its greenish cover featuring a fish on a hook. I wondered blankly
over the name of its author, without, I admit, inquiring further. Ota
Pavel. The name, though known to most Czechs, said nothing to me then, at
most I had an inkling the author had been a sports journalist for Czech
Radio in the 1950s. Then I caught a glimpse of his photo somewhere - Ota
Pavel, writer - the author in his youth, a black and white picture of a
dashing figure with a slanted fedora, staring thoughtfully into the lens.
I caught a glimpse and when I heard of a film by the director Karel
Kachyna based on the author's work, equally suggestive, I began to wonder
about his life even more. The story of Ota Pavel, with its twists and
final haunting downfall - and 'How I Came to Know Fish' - both looked at
in today's Czechs in History.
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Current AffairsNew book reveals unusual facts about ten presidents
Did you know that eight of the ten presidents of Czechoslovakia and the
Czech Republic spent time in prison? Or that Czechoslovakia's first
president, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, rode horses until the age of eighty
three, and one of his favourites was a bay horse called Hektor? A recently
released book titled "Ten Presidents" gives us these and other
unusual insights into the lives of the presidents of Czechoslovakia and
the Czech Republic.
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Current AffairsInterpretations of reality: Yann Martel's Life of Pi
One of the many interesting authors invited to this year's Prague Writer's
Festival was Yann Martel, a Canadian novelist who made headlines
world-wide by winning the prestigious Man Booker prize for his novel Life
of Pi. Jan Velinger, who attended the festival, met the writer to discuss
his fascinating book.
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Current AffairsPrague Writers' Festival hits peak with readings by Jeffrey Eugenides, Irvine Welsh
This year's annual Prague Writers' Festival has come to its final day and
already it is obvious it will go down as one of the most successful
literary events in the Czech Republic in 2003. Appearances by
world-renowned writers at Theatre Minor in Prague, have been heavily
attended to hear from famous, as well as lesser known, authors. The
festival reached probably its highest peak two nights ago: Tuesday saw
appearances by fresh Pulitzer prize winner Jeffrey Eugenides, who read
from Middlesex, and Irvine Welsh, who read from his provocative first novel
Trainspotting.
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Current AffairsPrague isn't just the names Havel and Kafka: Author Peter Demetz returns to his birthplace
During the Prague Writers' Festival's Tuesday panel discussion titled
"The Great Dream of Heaven," Prague-born Peter Demetz described
the American way of life as a sort of mythical entity that is much more
than the golden arches of the McDonald's restaurants which stand out like
eyesores throughout the American landscape. A resident of the USA since
1949, he said he considers America to be a sort of heaven because a person
doesn't need a past, doesn't have to remember. Just what does the author
of the extensive history Prague In Black and Gold have to say about his
birthplace and his current visit to the Czech capital? I spoke with him
after Tuesday's event.
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Current AffairsAnnual Prague Writers' Festival Begins
Now in its thirteenth year, the annual Prague Writers' Festival began on
Sunday evening with a gala, once again drawing well-known writers from all
over the world to the Czech capital. As usual, it was put together by
author and editor Michael March.
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One on OneBill Bathurst - Radio Prague's Literature commentator on life in the Czech Rep and returning home
Little introduction is needed for this week's guest in One on One: Radio
Prague's own Bill Bathurst, a writer and poet who listeners know well for
his smooth-as-bourbon voice, inimitable humour, and more than a few
memorable broadcasts on Czech literature and poetry. Now, fourteen years
after Bill began at Radio Prague he's decided to hang it up in the Czech
capital and return to his home in California...
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ArtsArts
From April 6 until April 10, the Czech capital will host the thirteenth
Prague Writers' Festival. Later on this month, on April 24, all bookworms
from around the country will converge on the Czech capital for the
International Prague Book Fair. One of the most beloved writers in the
Czech Republic Arnost Lustig is experiencing considerable success abroad
with his novel "Lovely Green Eyes", and the nominations for the
second year of the Magnesia Litera Awards have been announced in Prague.
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ICE - Insight Central EuropeICE - Insight Central Europe
In this week's Insight Central Europe: Austria is blocking the movement of US troops through the country from Germany to Italy, and the country's defence minister says without a UN mandate for military action there can be no overflights or troop movements through Austria; tourism officials of the four Visegrad countries (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) have signed an agreement aimed at closer co-operation in the tourism industry; meanwhile, Austria is seeing a marked increase in tourists from Central and Eastern Europe; and why doesn't the best-known Czech author Milan Kundera allow his latest novels to be published in Czech? More
ICE - specialICE - special
In this week's Insight Central Europe: Austria is blocking the movement of US troops through the country from Germany to Italy, and the country's defence minister says without a UN mandate for military action there can be no overflights or troop movements through Austria; tourism officials of the four Visegrad countries (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) have signed an agreement aimed at closer co-operation in the tourism industry; meanwhile, Austria is seeing a marked increase in tourists from Central and Eastern Europe; and why doesn't the best-known Czech author Milan Kundera allow his latest novels to be published in Czech? More
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