The House on Matoušova Street—a brand new book by Tereza Boučková, has been very well received by Czech readers. The bestselling book came near the top in the poll for the most interesting book of the year 2024 by the renowned daily newspaper Deník N. The book came second in the readers‘ ranking and third in the experts’ ranking. A total of 14 literary works were selected for the shortlist.

In The House on Matoušova Street the author creates a memorial to the people who lived in her childhood home. Moving Jewish life stories alternate with those of people who suffered under the communist dictatorship in the country.

On the International Stage of the Frankfurt Book Fair, the author Marek Toman talked about classic and modern children’s literature from Czechia. He also presented his own books for children: My Golem, Cross-Eyed Jim’s Coffeehouse and The Amazing Adventures of Florentin Flowers.

The event, titled Children’s Books from Czechia: from past to present, was hosted by the US writer and translator Lawrence Schimel. Another guest was the children’s books editor and literary critic Kamila Drahoňovská. The event was organised by the Czech Literary Centre.

Literary agent Maria Sileny visited Brooklyn, New York, as a member of a group of agents and authors, to present Czech literature to US publishers.

In face-to-face conversations with publishers during the Brooklyn Book Festival and a stage presentation at the follow-up event, held in the Czech Center New York, she had the opportunity to introduce current novels by authors she represents abroad.

Participation in the festival was organized by the Czech Litera association. Prague Literary Agency attended from 25 September to 1 October.

Prague Literary Agency’s new author, Eli Beneš, has won the prestigious Czech Magnesia Litera Award for Best Fiction. His novel The Slight Loss of Loneliness was chosen as “Debut of the Year”.

This compelling account of the return from Auschwitz to post-war Prague reflects historical events with great accuracy. It is not just another reappraisal of the Holocaust; it covers the time afterwards instead and confronts readers with events that are little known.

Published in 2023, the book has been labelled the “best book of the year” by critics.

The Amazing Adventures of Florentin Flowers, the Righteous Pirate in the Service of Madame L.: The German edition of the children‘s book by Marek Toman and Magdalena Rutová will be presented at the Leipzig Book Fair on 24 March. The humorous pirate adventure for readers from 9 years old is also about the love for reading, which in this book even saves lives.

The German edition has been published by the Austrian publisher Drava. The event will be hosted by Raija Hauck, the translator of this book.

Prague’s first official city poet and writer, Sylva Fischerová, read a selection from her writing for an English speaking audience. The event took place in the evening of 12 October at the Globe, an English-language bookstore in the heart of Prague. In addition to some of her poems, Sylva Fischerová read also a short story from her latest book Thousands of Plateaus (Tisíce plošin). This collection of short stories is being translated by Deborah Garfinkle, a translator and scholar living in San Francisco.

To introduce her book Deathmaiden (Smrtholka) in translation, Lucie Faulerová has been invited to events and book festivals in Germany, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia and Slovenia. The Czech Center in Egypt has presented the Arabic translation of the novel. The book has been translated into eleven languages so far.

German readers can meet Petr Stančík twice at the upcoming Leipzig Bookfair:

He will present his children‘s book H2O and The Secret Water Mission in German translation (H2O und die geheime Wassermission) on Friday, 28 April, at 16:30 (hall 3, stand B200). The book’s illustrator Galina Miklínová will also be there to to get the audience of children involved.

Stančík will also present his latest novel Pravomil in German translation (Die Verjährung). This novel is being compared by readers to the worldwide bestseller The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson.
The presentation will take place on Saturday, 29 April, at 14:00 at the Czech national stand E 301 in hall 4.

Both events will be hosted by the translator Raija Hauck.

The children’s book author Marka Míková is touring the USA and Canada in April.

The puppeteer and musician is introducing her books Roches and Jinks and The Coat and the Handbag to an audience of kids. Her stops are: Chicago, Lincoln, Boston, Toronto and Calgary.

Petr Stančík presented his latest novel Pravomil in German translation (Die Verjährung) at the German-Czech Culture Festival in Bremen. Stančík’s picaresque novel is inspired by the true story of war hero Pravomil Raichl (1921-2002).

Pravomil experiences the eventful history of the 20th century, from the interwar years, via Gestapo interrogations, to the hell of the Soviet gulag. As if by a miracle, he survives World War II battles and death sentences, finally emigrating to the USA. At the end of his life Pravomil returns to his homeland to take justice into his own hands.