A novel which can be read in at least four ways: as a suggestive story of the life tragedy of a 20-year-old girl; as a witty satire of the current Czech education system; as a “book about writing books”; and finally also as an ironic love story.
The young teacher Oskar accepts an offer from the millionaire Král to give private lessons to his daughter. Crackpot Beáta turns out to be a beautiful and thoughtful girl who is facing difficulties with the whole world as well as herself. The life of a well-balanced teacher changes into the lunacy of love, the hurricane of passion and breakneck dodging between lover, wife and 9-year-old daughter.
Information about the original Czech edition
Other selected published translations (4)
Bringing Up Girls in Bohemia English
Erziehung von Mädchen in Böhmen German