5 KOLIK PODOB MÁ KNIHA? 6 FANTASY & SCI-FI 7 ODRAZ HISTORIE 8 LITERATURA ONLINE SUPPLEMET IN ENGLISH GUEST OF HONOUR SUPPLEMENT IN ENGLISH

A word from Pál Hatos Director of the Balassi Institute

Hungary is guest of honour at Book World 2014, umes presented here could not have been published the 20th international book fair. without the contribution of the Hungarian programme In the past two years Hungary had its own stand for the support of translation and the dedicated at the Prague book fair, an opportunity provided work of Czech publishing houses. by the Publishing Hungary programme. It is this con- This time the Hungarian presence at the fair devotes tinuous presence that we have to thank for our ap- far more space to non-fiction. To reflect the dialogue pearance at this important literary festival in 2014 between Hungarian studies in the Czech Republic as guest of honour, a status which gives us great and Czech Studies in Hungary, we present important pleasure. To be guest of honour at the Prague book results of their researches into history, cultural his- fair is a proof of strong relations in the field of litera- tory and literary history. Books by Czech specialists ture; what is more, it serves to strengthen our ef- address issues of Hungarian history and forts at . while Hungarians present their perspective on his- Hungarians and Czechs share a consciousness tory and literature of the Czech lands. All this serves of our Central European identity which, owing to place a centuries-old Central European dialogue to the penetration of the cultures and traditions into a modern framework. of each by the other, has left very similar imprints Our programme at the fair aims to show its Czech on our . Hence we have a better and deep- visitors more than just our literature: it endeavours er understanding of each other’s writers and poets, to present as large a segment of our culture as pos- classical and contemporary alike. sible. In addition to traditional displays of books we Our programme consists essentially of presenta- have prepared a literary market and demonstrations tions of books published for this occasion, signings, of gastronomy and folk dance. round tables and discussion fora. Many of the vol- 89 1 ČESTNÝ HOST 3 TLUMOČENO 4 PŘEDÁVÁNÍ CENY 2 DĚTI A MLÁDEŽ 9 VAŘENÍ

A thousand shades of black and white In academic publishing, too, emphasis is placed on diversity. Books by Richard Pražák and Simona Kol- Over half a century ago people were predicting the manová offer insight into the history of Hungarian- end of Gutenberg’s galaxy; they were mistaken, it Czech relations. Our programme will introduce visi- seems. Black letters winding a path across a white tors to the importance in Hungary of Bohumil Hrabal page are these days attracting readers old and and what his narrative art means for his translators young in hitherto unprecedented numbers. In recent and readers. A monograph by Róbert Kiss Szemán decades changes in reading habits have shown that on Ján Kollár, writer of the epic poem The Daughter books and the information they convey live on in ever of Sláva, addresses the circumstances of the birth new forms. There are more than fifty shades of black of the modern Czech nation in the 19th century and and white: the combination of black and white has a discusses ways in which Pest and Buda contributed unique ability to take on all shades of the colour fan, to the Czech National Revival. A publication contain- so making our world ever more interesting and var- ing the latest fruits of research by Hungarian experts SUPPLEMENT IN ENGLISH ied. in Czech studies presents Czech culture with anoth- The promotion of the written word in all its diversity er interesting mirror image. The wide variety of top- is the mission of this book fair, whose guest of hon- ics addressed in this work is proof of the multifac- our is not only but also Hungary eted presence of Czech culture in Hungary. At a itself, in all its vividness. This diversity is on display round table Hungarian experts in Czech studies will in Hungary’s pavilion and the programmes connect- discuss what they consider important in Czech cul- ed with it; it is also presented in just-published ture and why. books that familiarize Czech readers with Hungarian As in previous years there will be small gifts con- literature and allow them to look at themselves in nected with the fair, such as paper hats and pin- the mirror of Hungary and central . Reflecting wheels. this diversity, the Hungarian pavilion reminds us of a roundabout at a fairground. There will be fairground- type attractions, barkers, music and demonstrations of gastronomy; visitors will have the chance to try the flavours of Hungary and to meet interesting au- Balassi Institute thors whose readerships are among the largest in contemporary European literature. We have been in- The Balassi Institute is responsible for the promo- volved in bringing to the fair works by authors such tion (in Hungary) of the Hungarian cultures of Hun- as Péter Esterházy, Lajos Grendel, ­Péter Nádas, garians living beyond Hungary’s borders and (abroad) Krisztina Tóth, György Spiró, László F. Földényi and of Hungarian culture as whole. It disseminates and János Háy. Extracts will be read by well-known Czech popularizes across the world a comprehensive view actors, while Hungarian authors who are guests of of Hungarian culture while promoting in Hungary the the fair will appear in discussion with well-known traditions and cultures of Hungarians living outside Czech journalists. Published to mark the 25th anni- of Hungary. versary of the fall of communism in central Europe, The Institute is a non-profit organization that creates an anthology of 20th-century Hungarian Catholic lit- conditions for the development of international con- erature provides information in this area that hither- tacts in culture and education. Since 1 March 2007 to has been missing. In this work devotees of Hun- it has operated as a professional centre of cultural garian literature Jaroslav Durych and Jakub Deml fill affairs (comparable with the Goethe-Institut or the in blank spaces in the history of Hungarian-Czech ) with unique areas of activities and cultural relations and demonstrate the power of methodology of work. Christian humanism, which has done and continues The Hungarian Institute in Prague (formerly the to do so much in the struggle against totalitarian Hungarian Cultural Centre in Prague) last year cele- mindsets. brated 60 years of work in the Czech Republic.

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choliacs in dark, secluded corners and has them Thursday 15 May spend their days and nights sighing over the futility ]] of the world. He is specific about the inherent con- 11.00 a.m. S 201 – Central Hall tradictions and ambiguities of melancholia and sup- 3 ports his arguments with historical material. With HUNGARY – official opening of the stand translator Robert Svoboda and XY. of the fair’s guest of honour Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian With Hungary’s Minister of National Resources Zol- [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague tán Balog and Pál Hatos, Director of the Balassi In- stitute. 5.30 p.m.–6.20 p.m. Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian LITERARY THEATRE – Right Wing [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague 3 An opportunity to meet Hungarian 2.00 p.m.–2.15 p.m. prose writer and dramatist György Spiró LARGE THEATRE – Central Hall A novelist, poet, dramatist, translator, journalist and 3 teacher, György Spiró is undoubtedly one of the most Opening of exposition prolific and widely respected figures of Hungarian Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian literature today. He is the author of twenty (mostly [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague very successful) theatre plays, which have been pro- duced in countries including England, Germany, SUPPLEMENT IN ENGLISH 4.00 p.m.–4.50 p.m. France, Russia, , Estonia and Bulgaria. Czech LITERARY THEATRE – Right Wing audiences have had the opportunity to see the plays 3 The Swindler, Chickenhead and The Garden. György János Háy Spiró will be in conversation with the dramatist and An opportunity to meet a leading poet, novelist and journalist Karel Steigerwald. dramatist of the middle generation whose work Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian makes him undoubtedly one of the most interesting [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague and Kalligram Publishers authors of contemporary Hungarian literature. At this event you will hear extracts from Underground Garage, his latest novel. Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian Saturday 17 May [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague ]] 11.00 a.m.–11.50 a.m. 6.00 p.m. Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague LARGE THEATRE – Central Hall Rytířská 25–27, Prague 1 3 An opportunity to meet the prose writer The Emigrant Péter Esterházy Screening of the film The Emigrant, which is about One of the greats of contemporary Hungarian litera- Sándor Marai and his wife and their last years of ture, Péter Esterházy follows up last year’s presenta- voluntary exile. It is informed by Marai’s diaries, tion of his novel Celestial Harmonies with an intro- which give an accurate depiction of the colourful mo- duction to a Czech translation of his Revised Edition, saic of his thought processes. which follows on from Celestial Harmonies in unex- Directed by Györgyi Szalai and István Dárday; star- pected ways. This meeting with the aristocrat of Hun- ring Ferenc Bács and Katalin Gyöngyössy. garian literature will be moderated by Martin C. Put- na. Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian Friday 16 May [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague and Kalligram Publishers ]] 1.00 p.m.–1.50 p.m. 1.00 p.m.–1.50 p.m. LITERARY THEATRE – Right Wing LITERARY THEATRE – Right Wing 3 3 An opportunity to meet novelist and poet László F. Földényi presents his book Melancholia Krisztina Tóth; introducing her novel Aquarium Literary historian, critic and philosopher László F. Föl- Acclaimed writer of poetry and prose Krisztina Tóth dényi goes against the stereotype which puts melan- has a highly original style characterized by repetition 91 1 ČESTNÝ HOST 3 TLUMOČENO 4 PŘEDÁVÁNÍ CENY 2 DĚTI A MLÁDEŽ 9 VAŘENÍ

of motifs and phrases in various contexts and the 6.00 p.m.–6.50 p.m. revealing of a wide range of hidden connections in LITERARY CAFÉ –Right Wing (balcony, left) language and reality, an approach she applies large- 3 ly thanks to her fine sense for detail and remarkable Peoples and prejudices – an interview sensitivity. Tóth’s collection of short stories Barcode with literary historian Csaba Gy. Kiss was published in Czech in 2011. Her first novel The author of academic studies, essays and articles Aquarium has just been published by Fra in a Czech on literary relations will talk to Bohumil Doležal translation by Jiří Zeman. about prejudices associated with our neighbour na- Moderated by Robert Svoboda tions. Kiss’s book Peoples and Prejudices – Essays Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian and Studies from the Adriatic to the Baltic appeared [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague and Kalligram Publishers in Hungarian and English in 2013. Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian 4.30 p.m.–5.50 p.m. [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague LARGE THEATRE – Central Hall3 Hrabal in Hungary Discussion on the extraordinary popularity of Bohu- Sunday 18 May mil Hrabal in Hungary with translators Zsuzsa V. Det­ ]] re and György Varga, author of Knots in a Handker- 11.00 a.m.–11.50 a.m. chief (a literary dialogue with Hrabal) László Szigeti, LARGE THEATRE – Central Hall and Péter Esterházy, whose novel The Book of Hrabal 37 appeared in Czech in 2002. Moderated by Zdenko Ignác Romsics: Introducing selected Pavelka. works from Kalligram Publishers Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian A conversation with Ignác Romsics, distinguished [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague and Kalligram Publishers Hungarian historian and winner of the Széchenyi SUPPLEMENT IN ENGLISH Prize, who is an expert on 20th-century history, espe- cially the period between the two world wars. With Rudolf Chmel and Petr Pithart. Interpreted: Czech, Hungarian [[Hungarian Cultural Centre Prague and Kalligram Publishers

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