Prose

This novel by Vladimír Poštulka connects seemingly unrelated narrative planes which intertwine, complement and shed light on each other. We follow the story of Eugene, a cook and later a famous songwriter, his childhood and adolescence during the 50s in the mining-town of Ostrava, his search for a place in society on the outskirts and the bohemian world of Prague during the 60s, up until his emigration to Paris and Switzerland.

On another level, Poštulka discusses the fates of a number of international and Czech writers and reflects on the truthfulness of literature, the difference between reality and fiction, about the possibility of sharing one’s personal life via literature and the significance of a writer’s choice of literary form. At the same time the book looks at the erotic life of authors and contemplates how subjects such as pornography, homosexuality or incest are reflected in their work.

These diverse topics are accompanied by Poštulka’s comments and memories from his own life.