Books

Some of you were asking for some additional information and because I'm no Czech expert whatsoever I put together this list of books you might find helpful and that are instantly available to you via Amazon.com. I didn't include all books they have  about the Czech Repubic, revolution, etc., but only the fragment of the collection that I think that could be interesting for you. I also excluded many books that Amazon offers but that are "hard to find" or even unavailable. Most of the paperbacks are between $8 and $20, the hardcovers range from $25 to $55.

 

The Revolution

Vaclav Havel and the Velvet Revolution (People in Focus Series) by Jeffrey Symynkywicz

This is supposed to be a great book for high school students (at least judged just by the price, which is only $6.30). The title summarizes all.

Paperback, 1995

Revolution in Eastern Europe : Understanding the Collapse of Communism in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and the Soviet Union by Peter Cipkowski
This concise book analyzes the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, country by country, during 1989 and 1990. It includes photographs, time lines, maps, and cartoons.
Paperback, 184 pages, 1991

Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution : A Political Analysis (East European Monographs, No 345)
Hardcover, 1992

 

Czech(oslovak) History

Czechoslovakia : Anvil of the Cold War by John and Sylvia Crane
Amazon's information: "This groundbreaking work presents a revisionist history of Czechoslovakia's struggle for independence from 1917 to the death of Jan Masaryk in March 1948. The authors focus on three critical events in Czechoslovak history: the year of its founding in the midst of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1918, the Munich betrayal in 1938, and the Communist coup of 1948. Their account is informed by John Crane's long-standing personal acquaintance with the Masaryk family and by Sylvia Crane's extensive research into previously inaccessible original archival sources. "
Hardcover, January 1991

Soviet Intervention in Czechoslovakia, 1968 : Anatomy of a Decision
The Warsaw Pact attack to Czechoslovakia was the major event for my parents' generation. Find more about it here. Also note that Amazon has more books related to the Prague Spring...
Paperback, 264 pages, 1991

Czechoslovakia, 1918-92 : A Laboratory for Social Change
My grandmother has lived in seven different countries during her life - yet she has never moved out of Prague. How comes? The answer lies in this book.
Hardcover, July 1996

Czechoslovakia, Charter 77's Decade of Dissent by Janusz Bugajski
Although this book is aged, it may give you the "feel" of the old times. And, after all, Amazon thinks that "This work should be considered mandatory reading for any student of Eastern Europe. The anatomy of the dissident movement of Czechoslovakia--its scope activities, affiliations at home and abroad--has been well documented and presented in a lucid manner. Failures and successes of Charter 77, as well as its future prospects, are described in a very balanced manner. It is an important study by a well-informed and self disciplined researcher and expert on Eastern Europe."
Hardcover, 1987

 

The New Life

The Break-Up of Czechoslovakia : An In-Depth Economic Analysis by Oldrich Dedek
Analyzing the major post-revolutionary event from an economist's perspective.
Hardcover, July 1996

Living in Freedom : The New Prague
Paperback, 261 pages, 1994

Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia : Ethnic Conflict and the Dissolution of Multinational States (Exploratory Essays, No. 3) by Andrew Janos
I'd be interested myself what similarities or differences the author found. But you probably know (when you came to this page) that it was Yugoslavia, not Czechoslovakia, that suffered from a civil war in the 1990's - don't you?
Paperback, June 1997

Czechoslovakia in Transition : Politics, Economics and Society by Sharon Wolchik
Hardcover, February 1992

Renaissance : The Rebirth of Liberty in the Heart of Europe by Vaclav Klaus
You may know Havel, but you might not know Klaus, who used to be our prime-minister till very recently and who's attributed both the amazing successes of the transformation as well as the tragic errors that took place. Amazon informs that this is a "wide-ranging collection of more than two dozen of Klaus' essays and speeches in English (lightly edited to make them more accessible to American readers). Part 1 offers general thoughts on the transforming process; Part 2 examines Czech experience of what Klaus calls "systemic reform" and privatization; Part 3 takes on a rapidly changing Europe and the Czech Republic's place among its integrating neighbors; Part 4 explores "The Czech Republic in the World." Most appropriate where interest in European developments is strong, where free-market economic gurus' theories circulate, and perhaps where Havel's works (most recently, The Art of the Impossible ) attract attention."

East-Central Europe After the Cold War : Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary in Search of Security.by Andrew Cottey
Amazon: "The author explores how countries in eastern Europe have responded to such dramatic changes as the breakup of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany, the restructuring of their relations with the European Union and NATO, the unstable situation on their southern and eastern borders, and the fundamental need to reform their armed forces. Chapters discuss both general topics and specific countries."

Bringing Up Girls in Bohemia by Michal Viewegh (fiction)
It was a surprise to see this book translated.. well... probably not so big, after all, because Viewegh has become one of the most prominent young Czech authors these days. You'll find very little politics here, but it can give you a picture of today's Czech society. And you'll even have some.. well.. probably a lot of fun along the way. Good summer reading.
Paperback, 1996

Dissident Authors' Fiction
(please note: there's MUCH more of these books in Amazon, I'm presenting you with just what I think you might like).

The Miracle Game by Josef Skvorecky
This book takes place in the 50's - the darkest age of stalinism in Czechoslovakia. Like other Skvorecky's books, however, the reality of persecution of the catholic priests is mixed with a bitter humor and wild eroticism. I read it and definitely can recommend. You'll get an unusual perspective on how the communism looked like.

My First Loves by Ivan Klima
This nice book of short-stories by another dissident author who became famous after the revolution shows that even the life in socialism had some poetics in it... If you want to learn about the lands that were behind the Iron Curtain and don't feel like going through some horrors or thorough scholarly work - choose Klima.
Paperback, 1989

Joke by Milan Kundera
Many people know Kundera but almost none knows he is - or was - a Czech. This is one of his most famous books (still from the "Czech" era) and it has certainly become a classics. By reading it you'll dig into the somewhat humorous and strangely tragic era of the wickedness of the 1950s...
Paperback, 336 pages

 

Here The President Goes

The Garden Party and Other Plays by Vaclav Havel
Do you have a playwright as the president in your country? We do. Some of the most famous Havel's plays are included in this book and you definitely should read it if you want to learn more about the absurdness of "goulash communism". But be warned -- Havel's style is quite unusual.

Open Letters : Selected Writings, 1965-1990 by Vaclav Havel & Paul Wilson
This book contains selected Havel's essays. As a reader put it: Vaclav Havel has been called "the greatest moral thinker of our time" and "a sort of EuroGhandi." While most noted as a playwright, Havel's most important works have been of prose; essays such as "Power of the Powerless" and his "Open Letter to Gustav Husak" allowed his nation to retain hope under brutal conditions. Now, Havel's greatest essays, from the early sixties to his "New Year's Address" after his 1989 election to the presidency, have been collected in a volume that will, unlike most political texts, make you think as well as feel.

Summer Meditations by Vaclav Havel
As far as I know, this is the first book that Havel has written while already being the president. He reflects there the nature and practice of politics throughout the world, and calls for a moral political system, a responsible free market, and a statecraft that honors human needs.

Vaclav Havel or Living in Truth : 22 Essays...
This is another mixture of Havel's writings, both current and older.
Paperback, 315 pages

The Art of the Impossible : Politics As Morality in Practice by Vaclav Havel
One of the many books with Havel's writings, this one focuses on Havel's central theme.
Hardcover, 288 pages, 1997

 

Czech Us Out!

Czech Republic (Culture Shock! Guides) by Tim Nollen
Tim Nollen says about his book: "It is the book that takes you beyond the travel guides and introduces you to the Czech people and their rich culture. It is designed for those who plan to spend time living and working in the Czech Republic, and is the ideal companion for those who plan to visit the country and want to know more than simply what to see and do. Culture Shock! Czech Republic is filled with information about Czech cultural history and various characteristics of today's Czechs, providing you with a wealth of knowledge that should enable you to understand and appreciate the differences--wonderful or difficult as they may be--and get the inside slant on Czech society. You'll succeed in friendships and in business, and you'll love the experience. " Uhm, my fellow Czechs cause a "culture shock" in me as well so I guess I should get a copy of this Wise BOOK.

Now Hiring! Jobs in Eastern Europe : The Insider's Guide...
Midwest Book Review : "It provides the most current information about life and work in the Eastern European countries of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia for the serious adventurer. Seasoned traveler Clarke Canfield provides informed advice on deciding to go, how to prepare, getting there, finding accommodations, and getting a job. For each country he covers, Canfield also provides information on finding a teaching position, settling into a new home, and general city profiles. He also provides information on the politics, history, geography, and customs of each country. Now Hiring!: Jobs In Eastern Europe includes a detailed discussion of the pros and cons of teaching English as a second language, sample lesson plans and helpful teaching tips. Each country section has an up-to-date list of language schools that hire native speakers and presents other employment options. "
Paperback, 320 pages, 1996

Pink Tanks and Velvet Hangovers : An American in Prague by Douglas Lytle
Would you believe there was a monument of a Russian tank (the real world model) painted in pink standing for a couple of weeks in the center city? It happened (together with other things described here) in the first sweet post-revolutionary years, when everything was possible and the Young Americans were flooding Prague.
Paperback, 341 pages, 1995

Off the Beaten Track Czech & Slovak Republics Paperback, September 1995