Okay - i've fallen so hard for ur videos and ur approach to talking abt books (not to mention the edit) that i almost don't wanna watch it. I save them for a bad day to cheer me up
You are killing it! So glad you're back. I have rewatched your Unbearable Lightness of Being and Jane Austen videos several times. Perfection. Now, I'm settling down with a cup of coffee, notebook, and pen to enjoy this one. My only complaint is that you don't have a Patreon account (hint hint).
This is incredibly kind; thank you. My new video experiments have been a little challenging, so it's honestly wonderful to hear that someone out there is enjoying the final products!
Hi. I had just started paying attention to BookTube when you disappeared. I just want to say how happy I am you’re back. As soon as I saw the title of this video, I wondered if you’d mentioned Bohumil Hrabal. And of course you did. (I also found some new things to order immediately.) But I love Hrabal (and Čapek), and was so thrilled to hear someone on UA-cam talk about them. There are too few people talking about the great stuff Anglophones aren’t reading. Please keep doing that. And happy holidays!
You posted this while I am still currently spending the holidays in Prague, and when you posted your video on The Unbearable Lightness of Being a few weeks ago I had also just started that book. What a sequence of coincidences! My father is Czech and I feel very under-read in Czech lit. I have read a handful of the books on your list, but have added several of the others to my TBR.
I want to read them all! I fell in love with Prague in the autumn of 1989, when the Velvet Revolution swept the Communists from power. I finally got to visit that fairest of cities in 2023 with my wife and youngest son, and it was a dream come true. The Czech people are a fascinating bunch, to be sure. Thank you for this introduction to Czech literature.
Just watched your best books of the year video, so I went back to leave a comment of appreciation for this video, since I had actually watched it over the holidays. 😉
Great video. I lived in Prague for 16 years, so I've already read 9 of these authors. I'm glad to see that the number of women getting translated from Czech has increased. Up until a couple of years ago, the Czech books available in English were predominantly written by men.
I agree, the Czech canon is oddly male-centric (even compared to that of a neighboring country like Poland), but the big 21st-century women authors are finally trickling down to the English market as well. And I hope that authors like Soukupová and Faulerová get their own English translations in the not-too-distant future!
I'm really hoping to make a series of starter kits! This one isn't performing super well at the moment (holiday season after all), but I'm really passionate about this format, so we'll see if I'm able to make it work
I’m so thankful that I found this, it’s a perfect introduction to Czech literature! The Joke, Metamorphosis which I’ve been wanting to read and Katerina Rudcenková’s poetry collection, caught my attention. You have another subscriber!
Thanks for this wonderful overview. A lot of these are intriguing, the one that stood out to me most though was Of Kids and Parents because I can already imagine that dynamic of father and son hanging out and what they do and don't talk about.
What an amazing, well thought out list, thank you! I definitely want to try some of these. I have always loved the sound of the language. Thanks again!
Interesting list. Ordered The Grandmother and see a couple more are at my library. Plus I have alternative titles by listed authors. Thanks for doing this.
Perhaps I'm basic but the only one I've read out of these is Metamorphosis, which I enjoyed. I read The Trial for school a couple years back and found it funny, horrifying, and thoughtful. The Grandmother sounds charming and cozy (I am myself a fan of Little Women so I might enjoy The Grandmother), The Good Soldier Švejk has my attention, but I think if I actually buy one of these it'll probably be Prague: Belonging in the Modern City. I tend to buy books rather than borrow them from the library. Borrowing books, all too often, ends in returning them half-read. Tbh, one reason I'm interested in Prague is I love the jacket so much. But also, I love the concept of who the minority is changing over time. And I'm a sucker for lots of information conveyed gracefully, so that's the book I'm gravitating towards most. It's been MY absolute pleasure being guided by you through these books. Your love of these books shined. See you in January 2025, I hope you had a happy holiday. Also, I hope your year was pleasant overall if studiful and busy/hardworking. Mine was. IT IS SO NICE HAVING YOU BACK. ^-^
Hearing your voice again ! waow and you look so good ! I have two of these books on my list (and read 2 of them) I will add the other ones once I'm done listening to your video, was just so happy to see you are back :-) Joyeuses fêtes de fin d'année
I love War with the newts. I read it because I knew the writer was also responsible for R.U.R., but there's so much more in War with the Newts. I've read a loot of his short stories now, too.
I have ordered and received the good Soldier and will be ordering a kingdom of souls on your recommendation. Well done Jennifer looking forward to reading them .
Capek is the only one I've read from this list, I really liked both of his book that I read, The War of the Newts and Apocryphal Stories. I've added The Grandmother, We were a handful and A Kingdom of Souls to my ever increasing TBR.
I read Closely Watched Trains (also watched film), Postriziny and Too Loud a Solitude all from Hrabal Also Jezioro..to bylo tak dziwny gowno ze nie bylam mnie prez dobre kilka dni! Dziekuje za to, to bylo niesamowite! Teraz bede czytac Listy Otwarty. I told husband that he must buy eight from your list for each day of Hanuka.
I love to watch this as Czech cause I really need to read more Czech authors :DD I actually read only few of these so thank you for the recs! Especially for the Summer in Prague, I already put it on hold in a library, and Kingdom of Souls. I wanted to recommend you Jozova Hanule by Květa Legátová since I think you would absolutely adore it, but of course it's one of those that hasn't been translated yet. Here's to hoping!
I love the look of Jozova Hanule! Maybe I'll be able to buy a Czech copy of it. Do you think I should read Želary first, or can I read the novella on its own?
@@InsertLiteraryPunHere It can be read on its own, but it's definitely better to read Želary first if you want to have full understanding of some of the characters that show up in Jozova Hanule. Chronologically it works as the ending of some of the stories that start in Želary, but the main focus is on Joza and Hanule. Btw the film adaptation is also great :DD
I would like to read The Grandmother and The Last Goddess for sure, and I'm curious about Prague: Belonging in the Modern City and Of Kids and Parents. And because this is the second time The Metamorphosis has come up in my life in as many weeks, it might be the push I need to actually read it.
The Grandmother and The Last Goddess are fantastic choices, and yes, The Metamorphosis really is that enjoyable! (also side note, but I love the look of your book blog)
I’m afraid to admit I have had Swejk on my shelves for at least 30 years and still not read it - I will give your suggested approach a go! I am also going to seek out the Kingdom of Souls. Hrabal and Kundera I have read and enjoyed. Enjoy your holidays!
I'm only 32 and I just read a book earlier this year that I'd owned for almost 17 years, so there's absolutely no judgment on my end 😂 I really hope that you enjoy Hodrová and that your Švejk plans yield new and interesting results!
Funny enough, a reissue of the grandmother is slated for release August 2025. However, the page count is significantly less than the version you displayed.
Yes, I'm excited about this alternative translation! (Although why is the cover just an image of the author? Couldn't they have done something a little more artistic or at least representative of the story's contents?) I'm guessing it's shorter in page count because this Cornell University Library edition is quite squat, with an unusually small trim size
Okay - i've fallen so hard for ur videos and ur approach to talking abt books (not to mention the edit) that i almost don't wanna watch it. I save them for a bad day to cheer me up
This is one of the best BookTube videos I've watched in 2024. I added War with the Newts to my TBR. Thank you!
You are killing it! So glad you're back. I have rewatched your Unbearable Lightness of Being and Jane Austen videos several times. Perfection. Now, I'm settling down with a cup of coffee, notebook, and pen to enjoy this one. My only complaint is that you don't have a Patreon account (hint hint).
This is incredibly kind; thank you. My new video experiments have been a little challenging, so it's honestly wonderful to hear that someone out there is enjoying the final products!
Hi. I had just started paying attention to BookTube when you disappeared. I just want to say how happy I am you’re back. As soon as I saw the title of this video, I wondered if you’d mentioned Bohumil Hrabal. And of course you did. (I also found some new things to order immediately.) But I love Hrabal (and Čapek), and was so thrilled to hear someone on UA-cam talk about them. There are too few people talking about the great stuff Anglophones aren’t reading. Please keep doing that. And happy holidays!
I really appreciate this, because that's exactly what I'm trying to do-to share these books that so often go overlooked!
You posted this while I am still currently spending the holidays in Prague, and when you posted your video on The Unbearable Lightness of Being a few weeks ago I had also just started that book. What a sequence of coincidences! My father is Czech and I feel very under-read in Czech lit. I have read a handful of the books on your list, but have added several of the others to my TBR.
I want to read them all! I fell in love with Prague in the autumn of 1989, when the Velvet Revolution swept the Communists from power. I finally got to visit that fairest of cities in 2023 with my wife and youngest son, and it was a dream come true. The Czech people are a fascinating bunch, to be sure. Thank you for this introduction to Czech literature.
Just watched your best books of the year video, so I went back to leave a comment of appreciation for this video, since I had actually watched it over the holidays. 😉
I immediately purchased The Grandmother for my eReader. I love old lady novels.
YES, old lady novels! I want to read more literary old ladies sharing their wisdom and disapproving of the youths!
Madeleine Albright quotes Nemcova's The Grandmother in her memoir: Prague Winter.
I always enjoy a good deep dive into a special interest. Thank you!
Great video. I lived in Prague for 16 years, so I've already read 9 of these authors.
I'm glad to see that the number of women getting translated from Czech has increased. Up until a couple of years ago, the Czech books available in English were predominantly written by men.
I agree, the Czech canon is oddly male-centric (even compared to that of a neighboring country like Poland), but the big 21st-century women authors are finally trickling down to the English market as well. And I hope that authors like Soukupová and Faulerová get their own English translations in the not-too-distant future!
Thank you for this thorough introduction :) I'd love to see this format for many different countries
I'm really hoping to make a series of starter kits! This one isn't performing super well at the moment (holiday season after all), but I'm really passionate about this format, so we'll see if I'm able to make it work
I’m so thankful that I found this, it’s a perfect introduction to Czech literature! The Joke, Metamorphosis which I’ve been wanting to read and Katerina Rudcenková’s poetry collection, caught my attention. You have another subscriber!
I'm thrilled to hear that it was useful! Thank you very much, and I hope you enjoy the ones you've selected
Thanks for this wonderful overview. A lot of these are intriguing, the one that stood out to me most though was Of Kids and Parents because I can already imagine that dynamic of father and son hanging out and what they do and don't talk about.
Thank you so much. And yeah, I don't know what it is exactly but there's something in me that just loves a father-son book
Looks like I have my reading list for the year. Thanks and keep it up.
Your timing is impeccable- I’m out the door to go book shopping in SF. Thank you for continuing to enable my bibliomania! 🙏🏻🩵
Thank you, this is BRILLIANT content, just the kind of video I want to see on booktube! Adding so many of them to my rapidly expanding TBR list...
🥹 thank you, I appreciate this so much!
What an amazing, well thought out list, thank you! I definitely want to try some of these. I have always loved the sound of the language. Thanks again!
Interesting list. Ordered The Grandmother and see a couple more are at my library. Plus I have alternative titles by listed authors. Thanks for doing this.
Fantastic; I hope you enjoy them, and happy holidays ❄️
Perhaps I'm basic but the only one I've read out of these is Metamorphosis, which I enjoyed. I read The Trial for school a couple years back and found it funny, horrifying, and thoughtful. The Grandmother sounds charming and cozy (I am myself a fan of Little Women so I might enjoy The Grandmother), The Good Soldier Švejk has my attention, but I think if I actually buy one of these it'll probably be Prague: Belonging in the Modern City. I tend to buy books rather than borrow them from the library. Borrowing books, all too often, ends in returning them half-read. Tbh, one reason I'm interested in Prague is I love the jacket so much. But also, I love the concept of who the minority is changing over time. And I'm a sucker for lots of information conveyed gracefully, so that's the book I'm gravitating towards most. It's been MY absolute pleasure being guided by you through these books. Your love of these books shined. See you in January 2025, I hope you had a happy holiday. Also, I hope your year was pleasant overall if studiful and busy/hardworking. Mine was. IT IS SO NICE HAVING YOU BACK. ^-^
Hearing your voice again ! waow and you look so good ! I have two of these books on my list (and read 2 of them) I will add the other ones once I'm done listening to your video, was just so happy to see you are back :-) Joyeuses fêtes de fin d'année
I love War with the newts. I read it because I knew the writer was also responsible for R.U.R., but there's so much more in War with the Newts. I've read a loot of his short stories now, too.
I know, I'm honestly so pleased to see several other people in the comments saying that they're now planning to read War With the Newts!
I have ordered and received the good Soldier and will be ordering a kingdom of souls on your recommendation. Well done Jennifer looking forward to reading them .
Capek is the only one I've read from this list, I really liked both of his book that I read, The War of the Newts and Apocryphal Stories. I've added The Grandmother, We were a handful and A Kingdom of Souls to my ever increasing TBR.
I've been venturing into more Eastern/Central European lit beyond just Russian lit so thank you for this video!
I read Closely Watched Trains (also watched film), Postriziny and Too Loud a Solitude all from Hrabal
Also Jezioro..to bylo tak dziwny gowno ze nie bylam mnie prez dobre kilka dni!
Dziekuje za to, to bylo niesamowite! Teraz bede czytac Listy Otwarty.
I told husband that he must buy eight from your list for each day of Hanuka.
What a fantastic idea for a series of gifts! I hope you enjoy Havel in particular. Happy Hanukkah to you and your family ❤️
This was perfect. I have been hoping to get some Czech reads in
I love that there are people out there who are actively looking for Czech literature! It seriously warms my heart
Oh! Great list! I'm currently reading Kateřina Tučková's new book called Bílá Voda!
i want to read quite a few of these, i'll probably start with the shorter works.
Excellent; I purposefully included a bunch of shorter options because they're often the best places to start!
I love to watch this as Czech cause I really need to read more Czech authors :DD I actually read only few of these so thank you for the recs! Especially for the Summer in Prague, I already put it on hold in a library, and Kingdom of Souls. I wanted to recommend you Jozova Hanule by Květa Legátová since I think you would absolutely adore it, but of course it's one of those that hasn't been translated yet. Here's to hoping!
I love the look of Jozova Hanule! Maybe I'll be able to buy a Czech copy of it. Do you think I should read Želary first, or can I read the novella on its own?
@@InsertLiteraryPunHere It can be read on its own, but it's definitely better to read Želary first if you want to have full understanding of some of the characters that show up in Jozova Hanule. Chronologically it works as the ending of some of the stories that start in Želary, but the main focus is on Joza and Hanule.
Btw the film adaptation is also great :DD
really fantastic overview, ty !!!
I want to reread Metamorphosis by Kafka. My Summer in Prague and The Joke sounded the most intriguing, but they all sounded interesting.
Based on some of the other books you've read, I think you would really like The Joke!
I’m going to put it on my want to read list.
I would like to read The Grandmother and The Last Goddess for sure, and I'm curious about Prague: Belonging in the Modern City and Of Kids and Parents. And because this is the second time The Metamorphosis has come up in my life in as many weeks, it might be the push I need to actually read it.
The Grandmother and The Last Goddess are fantastic choices, and yes, The Metamorphosis really is that enjoyable! (also side note, but I love the look of your book blog)
I’m afraid to admit I have had Swejk on my shelves for at least 30 years and still not read it - I will give your suggested approach a go! I am also going to seek out the Kingdom of Souls. Hrabal and Kundera I have read and enjoyed. Enjoy your holidays!
I'm only 32 and I just read a book earlier this year that I'd owned for almost 17 years, so there's absolutely no judgment on my end 😂 I really hope that you enjoy Hodrová and that your Švejk plans yield new and interesting results!
Funny enough, a reissue of the grandmother is slated for release August 2025. However, the page count is significantly less than the version you displayed.
Yes, I'm excited about this alternative translation! (Although why is the cover just an image of the author? Couldn't they have done something a little more artistic or at least representative of the story's contents?) I'm guessing it's shorter in page count because this Cornell University Library edition is quite squat, with an unusually small trim size
Marie Winn is Janet Malcolm's sister!
I had no idea, that's fascinating!
I'm interested in War with the Newts and We Were a Handful
War with the Newts is great!
It's SO great!