Prose
Patrik Ouředník’s novel is a unique version of the history of the twentieth century. Told in an informal, mesmerizing voice, Ouředník represents the twentieth century in all its contradictions and grand illusions, demonstrating that nothing substantial has changed between 1900 and 1999 – humanity is still hopeful for the future and still mired in age-old conflicts. As he demonstrates that nothing can be reduced to a single, “true” viewpoint Ouředník mixes hard facts and idiosyncratic observations, highlighting the horror and absurdity of the twentieth century and the further absurdity of attempting to narrate this history.
More information in Norwegian here.
Information about the original Czech edition
Other selected published translations (9)
Europeana. Eine kurze Geschichte Europas im 20. Jahrhundert German
Europeana: Zwiezla historia XX wieku Polish
Europeana: Una breve historia del siglo XX Spanish
Europeana: Kortfattad historia om nittonhundratalet Swedish
Europeana: A Brief History of the Twentieth Century English
Европеана: Краткя история двадцатого века Russian
Europeana: Breve storia del XX secolo Italian
Europeana: Een zeer korte geschiedenis van de twintigste eeuw Dutch