From Booklist
Spanning more than 30 years, the stories and novel excerpts in this collection tend to combine folklore and mythology with political ideology--a characteristic they have in common with much twentieth-century Czech literature. Marriage, sexuality, motherhood, gender identity, the father-daughter relationship, and the impact of political and cultural upheaval on the everyday lives of women are among the wide variety of themes explored. Sometimes funny and often poignant, the stories together afford a fascinating glimpse into the female psyche as seen through the lens of Czechoslovakian culture. Editor Buchler's introduction places each story in historical and political context and discusses events from the lives of the authors that are not only relevant to the stories but also help in understanding the impact politics has had on modern Czechoslovakian literature. Some noteworthy contributions are Daniela Fischerova's "Allskin Dances on Tables," Tereza Bouckova's "Woman from the Region of Tyre," Alexandra Berkova's "The Funeral," Lenka Prochazkova's "Good New Times," and Vera Linhartova's "Barbarian Woman in Captivity." Bonnie Johnston
Product Description
The Czech Republic, an often-occupied, subversively resistant, and literature-obsessed country, has produced more than its share of literary figures in the second half of the 20th century. Here is the first collection of short stories and novel excerpts by contemporary Czech women writers. These sixteen writers combine the often ironic style of old Czech literature with postmodern consciousness in texts that question identity and history, but also spin new fairy tales.
