Prague

Dostoevskyism

T.G. Masaryk, "Russia and Europe I," a valuable discussion of Russia by the philosophical president of the Czech Republic!

Russian Dostoevsky by Masaryk, who was born to a serf father and a cook mother, from whom he struggled to become a philosophy professor and even the first president of the Czech Republic.

To begin with, he is a top-notch philosopher. Masaryk was also a politician with experience in world affairs, politics, and economics. He was also a great personality who was respected not only by the Czech people but also by people all over the world.

The Russian history and Dostoevsky theory told by such a grown-up was extremely stimulating.

Dostoevsky and His Wife's Fateful Journey: Travels in Western Europe of Madness and Love

(25) Dostoevsky's gambling addiction disappears in Wiesbaden, the city of casinos! What a miracle happened to him at the end of his trip!

The events in Wiesbaden, free from gambling fever, are some of the most significant incidents in Dostoevsky's travels. It may be said to be the event that restored his pride as a writer.

Protect your family with your own brush and your own work! I will no longer depend on gambling fortunes! declared Dostoevsky. This time it is not a lie. History bears witness to that. He really was reborn.

And it was still Mrs. Anna who brought about this rebirth. After all, Mrs. Anna was Dostoevsky's guardian angel. She was his destiny. When I think of this, I cannot help but congratulate them both.

Dostoevsky and His Wife's Fateful Journey: Travels in Western Europe of Madness and Love

(24) Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky wanted to stay in Prague - a near miss with that Smetana! They went to Dresden in tears. Their trip comes to an end.

Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky traveled from Florence to Prague for the birth of their daughter.

Prague had a community of Slavic intellectuals, and Dostoevsky hoped to interact with them. Above all, he and his wife were looking forward to staying in beautiful Prague.

However, they were not able to stay in Prague and had to move to Dresden.

History is a "what if" game, but if the couple had been able to stay here, Dostoevsky might have had a connection with Smetana and Dvořák.

Kafka's City of Prague and Czech Literature

V. Havel's "Audience" Synopsis and Impressions - An absurdist drama about what we should do in a world where "everything goes to shit".

Havel's work is a scathing critique of the post-Prague Spring repressive regime, a critique that applies not only to this period but also to the present. Human beings can become like this at any time and in any place. What should we do to prevent this from happening?

This was also a tremendous work. All of Havel's works are very strong. I sincerely hope that they will be better known in Japan.

I would highly recommend this work.

Kafka's City of Prague and Czech Literature

V. Havel's "Notification" Synopsis and Comments - A masterful absurdist drama about bureaucracy and artificial language and the loss of humanity!

I've seen some crazy stuff...!"

This is the best impression I could get.

I can't imagine what it would be like if I saw this play live.

This was quite a shocking work. I highly recommend this work. It is a "tremendous work," but don't worry about that, as there is a commentary by Dr. Kenichi Abe. It is a wonderful commentary that makes the reading enjoyable. I highly recommend that you read the commentary before enjoying this work.

Kafka's City of Prague and Czech Literature

Chapek's "The Macropoulos Prescription" Synopsis and Comments - Is immortality happiness? A masterpiece that asks the fundamental question of humanity!

Wonderful wonderful wonderful!

This is Chapek!

The significance of this book being published now must be tremendous!

What a feeling after reading this! Ah!

It is just amazing. I would highly recommend this as a Buddhist book. Read it and you will understand. It is a tremendous work.

I love Kafka, but to be honest, Chapek just amazed me. I was so astonished that I said to myself, "Who is this amazing person in the Czech Republic? I was so astonished. I hope you will enjoy the wonderful works of this great writer.

Kafka's City of Prague and Czech Literature

Ten recommended reference books to learn what the "Prague Spring" is all about - and to consider the Russian and Ukrainian invasions.

In this article, we recommend some reference books to learn about the 1968 "Prague Spring" Soviet military invasion (Czech Incident), which we have previously discussed in this blog.

Although the Russian invasion of Ukraine is currently at a critical juncture, the "Prague Spring" incident is also very important for understanding the history of the Soviet Union, Russia, and Eastern Europe.

I think it is very meaningful for us Japanese to learn about the Czech Republic, a country that has spun out a proud culture and history despite being surrounded by major powers.

Modern Russia and the Russo-Ukrainian War

Kazuo Ogawa, "Eastern Europe: The Search for Revival" - Recommended for an overview of Eastern European economies after the collapse of the Soviet Union, including Ukraine.

この本は1995年に書かれたものですが、当時の東欧事情を知るという意味では、今読んでも全く色あせない作品です。

写真も多数掲載されているので現地の姿もイメージしやすく、新書でコンパクトにまとめられているのでとてもありがたいです。

なかなか知る機会のない東欧の経済事情を知れるおすすめの作品です。

東欧諸国がそれぞれいかに独自な文化を持ち、経済事情も固有なものがあるかがわかります。それぞれを比べながら見ていけるのは読んでいてとても興味深かったです。

Contemporary Society through Dystopian Science Fiction Novels

Ito Keikaku "Slaughterhouse Organ" Synopsis and Impressions - My most favorite science fiction novel that I highly recommend!

This is the novel I would say is my most beloved work in the last few years.

The title is "The Slaughterhouse Organ," a phrase that would not be familiar to a monk's blog, and I have not had much of a chance to introduce this work until now, but with the current trend of German-Soviet war, Cold War, and dystopian novels, I thought it would be a good time to introduce it. I am now finally going to introduce it to you.

Kafka's City of Prague and Czech Literature

A collection of books recommended for learning about Prague's history and culture! The endless charm of our beloved Prague

I am someone who visited Prague in 2019 and was wonderfully taken by its charm. It was so beautiful and so cozy that I completely fell in love with the city.

The books presented in this article are among the various books I have read and would especially recommend to you. These books will surely make you feel the charm of Prague even more.