Books on Czech Republic

The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek and illustrations by Josef Lada. set in the Great war just before Czechoslovakia was created. it is a humerous account of one man's war and his encounters with authority figures,Great insight into the Czech psyche.The story mentions many places in Prague and the now Czech republic.
2 books by Bohumil Hrabal, "The little town where time stood still" the story of a mischevious uncle seen through the eyes of his nephew,set at first during WWII and then the move to commusist state, lovely book .
"Closely Observed trains", set in a train station during WWII very interesting book about relationsgips and war.It was made into a film in the 50'sor60's and won an oscar for best film in a Foreign language.

books by Bohumil Hrabal

Just a heads up - these books are akin to watching Wes Anderson movies.

I've always thought reading these 2 books will tell you everything you need to know about Czechoslovakia, THEN and NOW :

Prague Farewell - Heda Margolius Kovaly

Gotland - Mariusz Szczygiel
.

I would also recommend :

HHhH - Laurent Binet

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. Now I'm off to read.

Via the Left Bank of the 90's by John Bills, published in 2019 and I got it not long after, it is a history of Prague based round all the Metro stops of the city including the newer ones.It mentions all the stops and gives history and information on the area including many famous people that lived nearby and how it may have got it's name,very easy book to read and most interesting if your are visiting the city.

Thanks
Just visited Prague and loved it. I want to know more.

I was in Brno last week for a few days and will be in Prague at the end of July /beginning of August for a week, been visiting the country for about 30 years.I also have a tattoo of the Good Soldier Svejk on my left arm.

Vaclav Havel memoir "to the Castle and Back".

Jason was it not you that recommended Via the Left Bank of the 90's to me, really is a good book.

A couple of more recommendations:

The Bad Bohemian by Sir Cecil Parrott -- This about Jaroslav Hasek, the author of Svejk, whose life is just as interesting, if not more so.
The Masaryk Case by Claire Sterling -- Did he jump, or was he pushed. Maybe a little venture into history, but reads like a mystery.
Prague in Black and Gold by Peter Demetz
The Miracle Game by Josef Skvorecky -- Fiction that is just a little out there, but I liked it.

Hi,
There is a new book out, The Last Palace by Norman Eisen. The US Ambassador's residence in Prague is considered the last great palace built. This is the history of the building of the palace starting in about 1930 and following the building's occupants up to current times. The Jewish family that built it, The Nazi occupation, the Soviet times, how the US came to own it with the history of the times.

wayne iNWI

Thanks everyone
I have been book hunting on Amazon.

I recently read The Glass Room by Simon Mawer, fiction, 1932-present, and am about to start Mawer’s Prague Spring (Prague 1968).
I just finished The Prague Sonata by Bradford Morrow, 1918-2000.
Good historical fiction with the excitement of a search for a missing musical manuscript in Sonata.

Thanks much