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And My Head Exploded: Tales of Desire, Delirium and Decadence from Fin-de-siecle Prague
Tales of desire, delirium and decadence from fin-de-siecle Prague. Short stories written by Julius Zeyer, Bozena Benesova, Milos Marten, Arthur Breisky, Jiri Karasek ze Lvovic, Frantisek Gellner and Richard Weiner.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 6, 2020
"... liberation is to be found solely when reality is abandoned and when everything that has constricted us hitherto is left behind."
-- Jiří Karásek ze Lvovic, "The Legend of Simon Magus."
full post here:
http://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/2020...
Some time back I read and loved Jiří Karásek ze Lvovic's A Gothic Soul (Twisted Spoon Press, 2016; originally published in 1900) and searching for more of his work online, I came across And My Head Exploded, which contains one story by this author. Buy button clicked.
The truth is that I know little to nothing about Czech decadence or Czech fiction in general. The introduction by Professor Peter Zusi helped a bit, as he explained that "the international reputation of Czech literature stands under the shadow" of "the best known and most influential work of Czech modernist literature," The Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk (1923) by Jaroslav Hašek, as well as the work produced by writers of " 'dissidence' against the Communist regime in the second half of the twentieth century." The stories in And My Head Exploded are representative of "another" Czech literature which has been "remarkably absent from the consciousness of English-language readers of Central European literature" ranging in date from 1892 to 1917. Zusi refers to it as ambiguous, unsettling, and "at times ... more grotesque," descriptors that are very much reflective of the work found in this volume, which is imbued with shades of gothic, horror, and the weird as well.
For someone like me unable to read the works of these writers in their native language, the publication of And My Head Exploded is a hugely-welcome addition to my reading repertoire. There's just something exciting about knowing that there are all of these yet untapped, untranslated works out there waiting to be read and appreciated, especially more Czech fiction in the vein of Professor Zusi's "another literature," and I'm sure this book represented only a small sampling. I will say that as I looked up these authors online, it started to become important to me to know more about the times in which these stories were written to provide some sort of context (for example, women's writing/women's issues of the time) which is omitted here, but that's about the only complaint I can muster.
Very highly recommended and oh, what a pleasure to read!
-- Jiří Karásek ze Lvovic, "The Legend of Simon Magus."
full post here:
http://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/2020...
Some time back I read and loved Jiří Karásek ze Lvovic's A Gothic Soul (Twisted Spoon Press, 2016; originally published in 1900) and searching for more of his work online, I came across And My Head Exploded, which contains one story by this author. Buy button clicked.
The truth is that I know little to nothing about Czech decadence or Czech fiction in general. The introduction by Professor Peter Zusi helped a bit, as he explained that "the international reputation of Czech literature stands under the shadow" of "the best known and most influential work of Czech modernist literature," The Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk (1923) by Jaroslav Hašek, as well as the work produced by writers of " 'dissidence' against the Communist regime in the second half of the twentieth century." The stories in And My Head Exploded are representative of "another" Czech literature which has been "remarkably absent from the consciousness of English-language readers of Central European literature" ranging in date from 1892 to 1917. Zusi refers to it as ambiguous, unsettling, and "at times ... more grotesque," descriptors that are very much reflective of the work found in this volume, which is imbued with shades of gothic, horror, and the weird as well.
For someone like me unable to read the works of these writers in their native language, the publication of And My Head Exploded is a hugely-welcome addition to my reading repertoire. There's just something exciting about knowing that there are all of these yet untapped, untranslated works out there waiting to be read and appreciated, especially more Czech fiction in the vein of Professor Zusi's "another literature," and I'm sure this book represented only a small sampling. I will say that as I looked up these authors online, it started to become important to me to know more about the times in which these stories were written to provide some sort of context (for example, women's writing/women's issues of the time) which is omitted here, but that's about the only complaint I can muster.
Very highly recommended and oh, what a pleasure to read!
January 11, 2020
This slim, carefully curated volume of short stories from the Czech decadent movement reveals a strain of that prose mode that is distinct from the Satanic cruelty of France and the material sumptuousness of Britain. Familiar thematic and symbolic elements are present (there are multiple tales of martyrdom, two of which include graphic depictions of crucifixion), but they're deployed towards different ends. There doesn't seem to be the same focus on vicious irony that one might find in other decadent works. In its place is often a brutal reality, a confrontation between a key character and the truth of the world in which they live. There's even a dash of Ibsen-esque domestic drama and "Yellow Wallpaper" proto-feminism thrown in for good measure. Translator Geoffrey Chew does a tremendous job capturing the different voices and rhythms of the authors represented in the book, gifting the reader with a textured, immersive experience. A treat and a must-read for fans of decadent literature.
September 2, 2022
A mixed bag, some stories were superb, others did little for me.
August 14, 2024
Some very very cool stories, mostly decent. I definitely enjoyed the "delirium" themed ones most.
The title story, or the story that the title comes from (Tale for All Soul's Day by Božena Benešová), was exceptionally good, amazing exploration of emotion through the physical body, dealing with grief and denial in a powerful way. Kind of unbelievable this was written in 1902, it feels so modern and experimental.
The other story by the same author (In the Twilight) was also a favourite. Well written and fascinating cultural insight into the liminal period where a new kind of 'woman of the future' as the story puts it is emerging, but there is no space yet in the world for these women to occupy.
The final story (The Empty Chair by Richard Weiner) was my other favourite, was initially a bit offended at the author asking the reader to be patient, but it paid off. Very cool meta narrative, with interesting psychological elements. I enjoyed the introspection of the author, and the exploration of what creates the state of horror - whether it is sensory or psychic, whether you are temporarily or permanently horror-struck.
The title story, or the story that the title comes from (Tale for All Soul's Day by Božena Benešová), was exceptionally good, amazing exploration of emotion through the physical body, dealing with grief and denial in a powerful way. Kind of unbelievable this was written in 1902, it feels so modern and experimental.
The other story by the same author (In the Twilight) was also a favourite. Well written and fascinating cultural insight into the liminal period where a new kind of 'woman of the future' as the story puts it is emerging, but there is no space yet in the world for these women to occupy.
The final story (The Empty Chair by Richard Weiner) was my other favourite, was initially a bit offended at the author asking the reader to be patient, but it paid off. Very cool meta narrative, with interesting psychological elements. I enjoyed the introspection of the author, and the exploration of what creates the state of horror - whether it is sensory or psychic, whether you are temporarily or permanently horror-struck.
February 22, 2021
Short stories from the short-lived era of Bohemian Decadence.
Most of the stories were exceptional, though with all short-story collections, especially those with various authors, you are bound to find some more interesting, entertaining and/or thought-provoking than others. Thus the four stars instead of five (though I was wavering). As usual, when I read books in translation, especially if it is a book written in Czech and translated to English, I pay special attention to the quality of the translation and here there is nothing to mention. I didn't even notice it was a translation, which is probably the best review of a translation I can give.
There is an abundance of Czech literature from the Communist era and quite a lot from after the Velvet Revolution, but there is not a lot of translations from Czech authors before the foundation of Czechoslovakia, and especially the authors that made up the Bohemian Decadence movement. That makes this obvious labour of love all the more valuable. Worth searching out.
Most of the stories were exceptional, though with all short-story collections, especially those with various authors, you are bound to find some more interesting, entertaining and/or thought-provoking than others. Thus the four stars instead of five (though I was wavering). As usual, when I read books in translation, especially if it is a book written in Czech and translated to English, I pay special attention to the quality of the translation and here there is nothing to mention. I didn't even notice it was a translation, which is probably the best review of a translation I can give.
There is an abundance of Czech literature from the Communist era and quite a lot from after the Velvet Revolution, but there is not a lot of translations from Czech authors before the foundation of Czechoslovakia, and especially the authors that made up the Bohemian Decadence movement. That makes this obvious labour of love all the more valuable. Worth searching out.
April 3, 2025
These were indeed full of decadence and delirium and I loved them.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews