From Goodreads
Franz Kafka and Prague
Harald Salfellner
As an introductory guide book and a brief biography this book did actually a pretty good job. But, it felt like a museum book more than anything too personal. I am glad to have read it after visiting Prague and not before, as my trip provided a bit of a rudimentary geographic context for me to understand the book a bit better. I found one of the sections containing obituaries written for Kafka to be fascinating. It was from Johannes Urzidil's There Goes Kafka. He noted, 'writing as a form of prayer', that was Kafka's definition of the writer, and: 'even if no redemption comes, I still want to be worthy of it every moment', this was his belief. Overall this was a solid read and I feel I understand Kafka a bit more because of it. Museums, when done well, are supposed to do that. I guess that's probably their entire point.
Showing posts with label Czech History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Czech History. Show all posts
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Mucha
From Goodreads
Mucha - An Illustrated Life
Roman Neugebauer
I picked this book in the Prague airport on the way home as an afterthought. I'm glad we had a few extra minutes because it was worth the impulse buy. Often those purchases don't pan out as well as this one did, like the house organ. But at about $5, the book not the organ, the stakes weren't that high. It's a quick read and a good miniature biography. There's a lot of interesting stuff in Mucha's life and it is written in an easy style to read. Mucha's aesthetic theories are intriguing too and how they are intertwined in a nationalism and ethnic struggle speak to the condition of late 19th century and early 20th century Europe. He was born and flourished at the dawn of a new age only to die as that dawn was blotted out by the clouds of Nazi Germany. His work's renaissance seems to be being born again at another tempestuous epoch's beginning.
Mucha - An Illustrated Life
Roman Neugebauer
I picked this book in the Prague airport on the way home as an afterthought. I'm glad we had a few extra minutes because it was worth the impulse buy. Often those purchases don't pan out as well as this one did, like the house organ. But at about $5, the book not the organ, the stakes weren't that high. It's a quick read and a good miniature biography. There's a lot of interesting stuff in Mucha's life and it is written in an easy style to read. Mucha's aesthetic theories are intriguing too and how they are intertwined in a nationalism and ethnic struggle speak to the condition of late 19th century and early 20th century Europe. He was born and flourished at the dawn of a new age only to die as that dawn was blotted out by the clouds of Nazi Germany. His work's renaissance seems to be being born again at another tempestuous epoch's beginning.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Prague: Capital of the Twentieth Century: A Surrealist History
From Goodreads
Prague, Capital of the Twentieth Century: A Surrealist History
Derek Sayer
Like with all surrealist literature, a surrealist history of a surrealist movement makes for a semi-lopsided and disjointed reading experience. I enjoyed this book and it had the same effect on me that most surrealist literature has had. It frustrates me and pushes my boundaries leaving me intrigued, eager for more and ready for a break, simultaneously. The book is a good history, but as with much of my attempt to learn Czech history I have found myself without a firm foundation to many of the things alluded to in this book. That said, the author does give a lot of information in a digestible way that verges on the gluttonous. I probably didn't read this fast enough to retain the whole of it and will need to reread it to fully appreciate it, but I feel like I have a better understanding of Prague having finished the book.
Prague, Capital of the Twentieth Century: A Surrealist History
Derek Sayer
Like with all surrealist literature, a surrealist history of a surrealist movement makes for a semi-lopsided and disjointed reading experience. I enjoyed this book and it had the same effect on me that most surrealist literature has had. It frustrates me and pushes my boundaries leaving me intrigued, eager for more and ready for a break, simultaneously. The book is a good history, but as with much of my attempt to learn Czech history I have found myself without a firm foundation to many of the things alluded to in this book. That said, the author does give a lot of information in a digestible way that verges on the gluttonous. I probably didn't read this fast enough to retain the whole of it and will need to reread it to fully appreciate it, but I feel like I have a better understanding of Prague having finished the book.
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Czech Fairytales
From Goodreads
Czech Fairytales
Karel Jaromír Erben, Božena Němcová
I love Fairy Tales. It's like you get a better window into the author's time and culture by reading Fairy Tales than you would if you read a more factual, historical book. I hadn't heard of Karel Jaromír Erben, but my Czech research had turned up the name Božena Němcová numerous times. Basically, they were, independently of each other, the Czech version of the Brothers Grimm.
As with all anthologies some stories are better than others. The Three Spinners, a girl power celebration of laziness is an extended Dad joke. The Devil and Kate has a children's Faust feel to it. I particularly enjoyed The Golden Hill and Long, Broad and Sharp Eyes.
It's a great read for people of all ages!
Czech Fairytales
Karel Jaromír Erben, Božena Němcová
I love Fairy Tales. It's like you get a better window into the author's time and culture by reading Fairy Tales than you would if you read a more factual, historical book. I hadn't heard of Karel Jaromír Erben, but my Czech research had turned up the name Božena Němcová numerous times. Basically, they were, independently of each other, the Czech version of the Brothers Grimm.
As with all anthologies some stories are better than others. The Three Spinners, a girl power celebration of laziness is an extended Dad joke. The Devil and Kate has a children's Faust feel to it. I particularly enjoyed The Golden Hill and Long, Broad and Sharp Eyes.
It's a great read for people of all ages!
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Berlitz Pocket Guide: Prague
From Goodreads
Berlitz Pocket Guide: Prague
Given that the book cites the romantic and extravagant Czechoslovakia, it seems to be a bit dated. That said, it's a good little read with some interesting tidbits and translations of Czech that should be useful. Plus, it fits in my pocket and was 99 cents!
Berlitz Pocket Guide: Prague
Given that the book cites the romantic and extravagant Czechoslovakia, it seems to be a bit dated. That said, it's a good little read with some interesting tidbits and translations of Czech that should be useful. Plus, it fits in my pocket and was 99 cents!
Sunday, March 3, 2019
You are my dukedom, my beer and my pot roast
From Goodreads
Prague in Black and Gold: Scenes from the Life of a European City
Peter Demetz
This is a solid history that really showcased to me my ignorance of Bohemian and Central European History. I knew a little before I read it; and, yet I thought I knew much more. While some of Demetz's references and allusions went right over my head he did an excellent job of painting broad strokes of the history of Prague and whetted my appetite for more. Usually I am drawn more to ancient history and the chapters leading up to the Hussite revolution were probably my favorite, but I found myself very interested in the Hapsburg era as well.
The writing is generally good, in a textbook sort of way. Some of the demystifying of Prague left me a little hostile, as I'm eagerly anticipating my Prague trip in just over a month, but there are copious amounts of magical histories of Prague, I guess one like this is necessary.
In his section on Mozart in Prague, he tells an anecdote about the first play performed in the Czech language. (Without spoiling the history of Bohemia, a history of language plays a pivotal role in the history of the city and the national identity.) The play, called Kníže Honzík is a play with a love triangle of sorts and deals with an ambitious dreamer. In the end though the dreamer is happy with his fiancee, declaring to her, "You are my dukedom, my beer and my pot roast". I guffawed when I read that line and am inscribing it in my memory banks with the hope that I will find occasion to steal it to declare my love for Erin some time.
What is great about this book is that it has informed me enough to want more. Being just the second history book of Prague I've read I find myself more and more fascinated with this city's history. Like any good teacher Peter Demetz has left enough questions unanswered to demand I learn more.
Prague in Black and Gold: Scenes from the Life of a European City
Peter Demetz
This is a solid history that really showcased to me my ignorance of Bohemian and Central European History. I knew a little before I read it; and, yet I thought I knew much more. While some of Demetz's references and allusions went right over my head he did an excellent job of painting broad strokes of the history of Prague and whetted my appetite for more. Usually I am drawn more to ancient history and the chapters leading up to the Hussite revolution were probably my favorite, but I found myself very interested in the Hapsburg era as well.
The writing is generally good, in a textbook sort of way. Some of the demystifying of Prague left me a little hostile, as I'm eagerly anticipating my Prague trip in just over a month, but there are copious amounts of magical histories of Prague, I guess one like this is necessary.
In his section on Mozart in Prague, he tells an anecdote about the first play performed in the Czech language. (Without spoiling the history of Bohemia, a history of language plays a pivotal role in the history of the city and the national identity.) The play, called Kníže Honzík is a play with a love triangle of sorts and deals with an ambitious dreamer. In the end though the dreamer is happy with his fiancee, declaring to her, "You are my dukedom, my beer and my pot roast". I guffawed when I read that line and am inscribing it in my memory banks with the hope that I will find occasion to steal it to declare my love for Erin some time.
What is great about this book is that it has informed me enough to want more. Being just the second history book of Prague I've read I find myself more and more fascinated with this city's history. Like any good teacher Peter Demetz has left enough questions unanswered to demand I learn more.
Monday, January 28, 2019
Prague: A Cultural and Literary History
From Goodreads
Prague: A Cultural and Literary History
As far as a history book goes this one is your fairly typical, textbook like work. It's informative, covers a lot of ground quickly, but deep enough to give you more than some pop history or a travel guide. This was probably the biggest problem with the book for me. That sentence would be more accurately rendered as, I was the biggest problem for the book.
I'm going to Prague soon (hopefully) and am trying to get as much history of it as I can. I had a basic understanding of the history of Rome and London before traveling there. I didn't know much of the history of Barcelona. My trips to the former two cities were made so much richer by having a deeper understanding of their history. I made the mistake of studying the cultural history of Prague before studying the more general history. I felt, at times, that the author assumed I knew more than I did - which, was my problem more than the author's.
My deficiencies aside, the book was fascinating and if, as is a big strain of this book's thesis, that the arts truly preceded the revolution, then perhaps I have embraced learning about Prague in the way it ought to be done. I have another three history books on Prague (plus a number of Kafka novels) to read before in the next two months. Maybe then I'll have a richer understanding of this book.
Prague: A Cultural and Literary History
As far as a history book goes this one is your fairly typical, textbook like work. It's informative, covers a lot of ground quickly, but deep enough to give you more than some pop history or a travel guide. This was probably the biggest problem with the book for me. That sentence would be more accurately rendered as, I was the biggest problem for the book.
I'm going to Prague soon (hopefully) and am trying to get as much history of it as I can. I had a basic understanding of the history of Rome and London before traveling there. I didn't know much of the history of Barcelona. My trips to the former two cities were made so much richer by having a deeper understanding of their history. I made the mistake of studying the cultural history of Prague before studying the more general history. I felt, at times, that the author assumed I knew more than I did - which, was my problem more than the author's.
My deficiencies aside, the book was fascinating and if, as is a big strain of this book's thesis, that the arts truly preceded the revolution, then perhaps I have embraced learning about Prague in the way it ought to be done. I have another three history books on Prague (plus a number of Kafka novels) to read before in the next two months. Maybe then I'll have a richer understanding of this book.
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