In Josef Škvorecký's first novel written in English, the narrator lives in two radically dissimilar worlds: the exile world of the post-Communist Czech Republic where old feuds, treacherous betrayals, and friendships persevere; and the comfortable, albeit bland world of middle-class Canada. Murder intrudes upon both world. One features a young female sleuth, a college beauty queen, jealousy in the world of academia, and a neat conclusion. The other is a tragedy caused by evil social forces and philosophies, in which a web of lies insidiously entangles Sidonia, the narrator's wife. A brilliantly stylish tour de force in which the bright, sarcastic comedy of one tale sharply contrasts with the dark, elegiac bitterness of the other, Two Murders in My Double Life confirms Škvorecký's reputation as a versatile and engaging writer.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Potent and deeply affecting . . . building slowly . . . to a powerful conclusion."—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
"Two Murders combines genres for which Škvorecký is well known: the thinly disguised autobiographical novel and the murder mystery . . . [He] has proved himself to be the preeminent Czech interpreter of the theme of home and exile, in his life and in his work."—Neil Bermel,The New York Times Book Review
"This novel . . . offers the reader both sides of an obscure and unsolvable story, the here and now inflected by the there and then, a complex bio-mystery about the Kafka-esque machinations of politics."—Aritha van Herk, The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
"What's remarkable is that Two Murders in My Double Life is the first work that Mr. Škvorecký has written in his adopted language, yet it contains all the subtle linguistic byplay that characterizes what he originally wrote in Czech."—Douglas Fetherling, The Ottawa Citizen
"Two Murders combines genres for which Škvorecký is well known: the thinly disguised autobiographical novel and the murder mystery . . . [He] has proved himself to be the preeminent Czech interpreter of the theme of home and exile, in his life and in his work."—Neil Bermel,The New York Times Book Review
"This novel . . . offers the reader both sides of an obscure and unsolvable story, the here and now inflected by the there and then, a complex bio-mystery about the Kafka-esque machinations of politics."—Aritha van Herk, The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
"What's remarkable is that Two Murders in My Double Life is the first work that Mr. Škvorecký has written in his adopted language, yet it contains all the subtle linguistic byplay that characterizes what he originally wrote in Czech."—Douglas Fetherling, The Ottawa Citizen
About the Author
Josef Škvorecký is the author of The Cowards, The Bass Saxophone, The Engineer of Human Souls, and Dvorak in Love, among other works. He is the winner of Canada's Governor General's Award. He and his wife, Zdena, divide their time between Toronto and Venice, Florida.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
FROM MY OFFICE, through the open door, I could see into his office across the hall. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
college beauty, popular comedian, final mark, faculty club Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Professor Mather, Ministry of the Interior, Sergeant Sayers, Kill Kommunism, Mary Mather, Lame Duck, Candace Quentin, Lorraine Henderson, Mortimer Pasternak, Edenvale College, Captain Webber, Freddie Hamilton, Interior Ministry, Uncle Abner, Locked Room Mystery, Raymond Hammett, Miss Quentin, Mrkvicka's List, Adolf Hrabe, Comrade Prochazka, Marie Roget, North American, Professor Boleyn, Professor Cooper, Velvet Revolution New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
FROM MY OFFICE, through the open door, I could see into his office across the hall. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
college beauty, popular comedian, final mark, faculty club Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Professor Mather, Ministry of the Interior, Sergeant Sayers, Kill Kommunism, Mary Mather, Lame Duck, Candace Quentin, Lorraine Henderson, Mortimer Pasternak, Edenvale College, Captain Webber, Freddie Hamilton, Interior Ministry, Uncle Abner, Locked Room Mystery, Raymond Hammett, Miss Quentin, Mrkvicka's List, Adolf Hrabe, Comrade Prochazka, Marie Roget, North American, Professor Boleyn, Professor Cooper, Velvet Revolution New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 20
books:
See all 20 books this book cites
1
book
cites this book:
- The Engineer of Human Souls (Czech Literature Series) by Josef Skvorecky in Front Matter
- History in the Early Years (Teaching & Learning in the Ear) by Hilary Cooper on page 87
- The Black Cat and Other Stories (Penguin Readers, Level 3) by Edgar Allen Poe on page 48
- Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe on page 48
- The Miracle Game by Josef Skvorecky in Front Matter
See all 20 books this book cites
- Two Murders in My Double Life by Josef Skvorecky in Back Flap
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