New books

Although the residents of the little black house, which was bought by the tailor Vodrážka a long time ago, live in the dramatically changing world of the twentieth century, they are only marginally affected by social upheavals. Over the generations, the little house has become the centre of their universe, as if it possessed some kind of magic power over them… The book’s main theme, however, is neither the family nor social development, but rather the hidden aspects of every day life - the way in which the threads of destiny are tied together. Although ordinary life in small-town South Bohemia has hardly changed in a hundred years, the author’s take on things – enriched by historical and etymological explanations and essay-style observations – transform it into a gripping story that is much more interesting than an event of “worldly” importance.