At the end of October 2023, UK publishers Comma Press brought out the short-story anthology The Book of Prague. The publication was initiated and supported by the Czech Literary Centre, a division of the Moravian Library. The book was edited by Ivana Myšková and Jan Zikmund, who selected ten short stories by ten Czech writers: Simona Bohatá, Jan Zábrana, Marie Stryjová, Petr Borkovec, Bohumil Hrabal, Michal Ajvaz, Irena Dousková, Marek Šindelka, Patrik Banga and Veronika Bendová.

Each of the stories was translated into English by a different translator or translating couple. A total of twelve translators contributed to the book: Alžběta Belánová, Julia Sherwood, Peter Sherwood, Geoffrey Chew, Justin Quinn, Paul Wilson, Andrew Oakland, Melvyn Clarke, Alex Zucker, Graeme Dibble, Suzanne Dibble and Paul Kaye.

The Czech Literary Centre unveiled the book in London and Manchester in November 2023. The London launch took place on 16 November at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in collaboration with the Czech Centre London. The Manchester event was held a day later at the Anthony Burgess Foundation under the auspices of the General Consulate of the Czech Republic in Manchester. The line-up at the two literary events featured Marek Šindelka, Veronika Bendová, Jan Zikmund, Paul Kaye and the managing editor of Comma Press, Ra Page.

The anthology has met with a positive response in the media. Reviews have already been published in The Irish Times, The Manchester Review of Books and the European Literature Network. The publication was also covered by the magazine The Bookseller, and Jan Zikmund discussed how the anthology came about on Radio Prague International.

Launch of the anthology at the Czech Embassy in London. Photo: Marek Bero, Czech Centre London