Kees Mercks Knihy

Ironisch levensverhaal van een journalist die na te zijn opgegroeid in een Moravisch dorp later moeilijkheden krijgt met de communistische autoriteiten in Tsjechoslowakije.

The narrative follows Hrabal as he receives the advance copy of his debut short story collection, marking the beginning of his literary career. It explores his ascent in the Czech literary scene, highlighting his connections with prominent artists and writers, while also showcasing the international acclaim he achieves with works like Closely Watched Trains. The story delves into themes of creativity, recognition, and the cultural landscape of Czechoslovakia during his rise as a writer.

Možno sa aj vám včera alebo práve teraz stratila ponožka. Kto zato môže? Párožrút! Záhadný tvor, ktorý žerie ponožky, ale vždy len jednu z páru. Párožrútov žije na svete asi toľko, koľko je ľudí, takže celkom iste býva nejaký aj u vás doma. Len dvom vyvoleným sa však podarilo párožrúta vidieť: starému profesorovi Kučeráčikovi a mladému starému mládencovi Egonovi Vavrincovi. A práve vďaka nim prenikla do tajomného sveta ponožkožrútov autorská dvojica Pavel Šrut a Galina Miklínová a napísali napínavý a vtipný príbeh, ktorý by deti nemali čítať pred spaním. Nedovolí im totiž od strachu (alebo od smiechu)

The narrator of Ivan Klima's novel has temporarily abandoned his work-in-progress -an essay on Kafka -and exchanged his writer's pen for the orange vest of a Prague road-sweeper. As he works, he meditates on Czechoslovakia, on Kafka, on life, on art and, obsessively, on his passionate and adulterous love affair with the sculptress Daria. Gradually he admits the impossibility of being at once an honest writer and an honest lover, and with that agonizing discovery comes a moment of choice.