Czech Books From the Bulldozer to fiery Utopias: the literary forays of Czech politicians
There is nothing unusual about politicians writing books. Sometimes they outline a political vision, or they might be a gesture to posterity in the hope of putting a particular "spin" on how events are remembered, and occasionally we come across an attempt to discredit political rivals or former friends. In this respect the Czech Republic is no exception, with such books available in abundance in our bookshops. But one recent publication did cause quite a stir. It was a huge glossy picture book, devoted entirely to photographs of the man nicknamed "The Bulldozer" - that is the last Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, who left office last summer and makes no secret of his ambitions to return to power. In the Czech papers the book was greeted with humour and more than a little ironic comment.
Vaclav Havel
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