Magic Prague [Hardcover]

Angelo Maria Ripellino (Author), Michael Henry Heim (Editor), David Newton Marinelli (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 10, 1993

This unusual, distinctive book is a glowing, theatrical blend of history, travelogue, fictional sketch, art and literary criticism, and personal essay. Angelo Ripellino goes beyond the tourist cliché of Prague and brings out the mystery, ambiguity, gloom, lethargy, and hidden fascination of the city of the Vltava. He uses melodrama and ghost stories, as well as tales from the enchanted road and the risqué barroom to relate the sorcery of the Bohemian capital in a wonderful mix of fact and fiction.
As the book opens, Kafka and Hasek are still stalking the streets of the Old Town. In the second section we are in the seventeenth century, with its emphasis on the occult. Traveling on, we move through Prague's bordellos, theaters, ghetto, alchemists' laboratories, and cafés, accompanied by Rudolph II, Apollinaire, and Czech dadaists. The result of this imaginary guided tour is a deeper knowledge of the city than any ordinary guidebook can provide as well as an exhilarating introduction to Czech culture.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Prague's creative alchemy over the centuries was due largely to the commingling of its three major peoples--Czechs, Germans, Jews--shows Ripellino in this hypnotic, intensely lyrical odyssey. Beginning with Franz Kafka who "absorbed all Prague's humours and poisons," the late Ripellino (1923-1978), who taught Czech language and literature at the University of Rome, delves into Prague's melancholy and irrational darker aspects. We meet paranoid King Rudolf II (1576-1611); his court painter, Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527-1593), famous for fantastical composite portraits; playwright Karel Capek's robots; the Golem (humanoid automaton) of Jewish legend; and a horde of pilgrims, alchemists, executioners and ghosts. Ripellino presents a vibrant picture of life in Prague's Jewish quarter, which was razed in 1893, and of the gathering of avant-garde poets and painters in the 1920s. Originally published in Italy in 1973, the book is marked by sadness for the events of the Prague Spring: "My friends have been pressing me to finish this pot-pourri, hoping it will rekindle the memory of a betrayed country without hope."
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Although Prague is renowned for its beauty and is conveniently located in the center of Europe, fascism and communism have kept it off most American tourist itineraries for more than half a century. Capitalism is quickly returning it to every tourist's list. Levine, an American who lived in Prague while writing this guidebook, includes detailed information on transportation, accommodations, eating, shopping, and entertainment, plus interesting (and sometimes useful) cultural anecdotes and historical facts. Although the focus is on Prague, 15 day trips outside the city are also described; the book could serve as a guide to the new Czech Republic as well as to its capital. Following the "Maverick Guide" philosophy, Levine's writing style is colloquial and more opinionated than that of some other travel series. Highly recommended. In contrast, Ripellino, formerly of the University of Rome, presents a blend of history, art, literary criticism, and fantasy designed to relate not just facts about the city on the Vltava but to explore its essence as well. Ripellino's writing is dense and discursive, which may initially confuse readers, especially those without much prior knowledge of Czech history and culture. The bewildering array of names and places begins on page 1. To complicate matters further, some of these people and places may not exist, since the book has a fictional element. Recommended for academic libraries with a particular interest in Central European history and Slavic studies.
- Mary C. Kalfatovic, Telesec Lib. Svcs., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 333 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (December 10, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520073525
• ISBN-13: 978-0520073524
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,116,478 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > History > Europe > Central Europe

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prague for the deeply romantic, literate traveler, October 5, 1999

By 

Walter V. Cicha "Cichacech" (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magic Prague (Hardcover)

The late Mr. Ripellino has amassed a tribute to Prague like no other. It breathes. Anyone that has ever visited the "Golden City of a 100 spires" must have had an inkling deep in their soul of what the author has magnificently put down in words. The "Old Crone [Prague] has claws", as Kafka put it, and Ripellino shows exactly why that is so. The research that went into this book is simply astounding, with my edition having 44 pages of tightly spaced notes, of 333 pages total, including index. The book takes us from one extraordinary Prague tale to another, with myth, legend and reality all melting into one pot of magic. Anyone that plans to visit the center of Europe should read this book in advance, or at least skim it on the plane. It is a tough read, being full of poetic phrases and meticulous details, which often beg for multiple readings. However, the time spent is well worth it. The book will serve as a beautiful bridge between the soul and the mind, as the traveler wanders along the cobblestones of thousand year old "Praha." p.s. I bought my edition (Picador) in Prague for 315 Kcs, or about US$ 9. The price on the back of the paperback is 9.99 British Pounds, which is about US$ 17, depending on the day.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So that's why it's called Magic Prague, January 21, 2000

By 

Adam Deverell (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic Prague (Hardcover)

I tried to read this before my trip to Prague and found it inaccessible and its language pretentious. Then, after a week in the city, I started reading again. And couldn't stop. It is only when you visit the Jewish cemetery or Prague Castle that the myths, ghosts and executioners of the past come alive. Although a tough read, it is exceptionally rewarding for the traveller who wants to take more home from Prague than just Bohemian crystal.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book about Prague., December 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Magic Prague (Hardcover)

I wish I had this book in 1981-83 when I was wandering in Prague with my camera. I wish I had this book in that attic room under the roof made with old dark wooden beams in Malostranske namesti. Karluv most was my magic everyday walkabout. I have my photographs and this book to remember when I forget that magic exists.