New books

In the new book written by Milan Kohout, an artist primarily renowned for his performance art, the reader is transplanted into the dark times of Communism, when the alternative art scene had to move out to remote villages and members of the underground would create the so-called second culture in Prague but also other smaller towns. He witnesses the depressing waiting around in Austrian refugee camps for an admission by a host country and the first encounter with the promised land – America – which subsequently turned out to be a rather heartless stepmother. A partly autobiographical account, which doesn’t rest solely on the description of the course of events in Milan Kohout’s action-packed life, rather its focal point lies in subtle, at times cruel and harrowing but also moving and humorous short stories. The author incorporated some of his poems which utmost naturally and spontaneously blend with the non-poetic writing. The book also includes photo documentation of the writer’s events and performances.

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