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Alice to Prague: The charming true story of an outback girl who finds adventure – and love – on the other side of the world: The charming true story of ... - and love - on the other side of the world
I loved it! I laughed and cried and it was very hard to put down.' Fleur McDonald, bestselling author of Where the River Runs
'Vivid and detailed...captures the pain and freedom of dislocation and questions what it is to belong.' Kathryn Heyman, author of Storm and Grace
In 1994, with a battered copy of Let's Go Europe stuffed in her backpack, Tanya Heaslip left her safe life as a lawyer in outback Australia and travelled to the post-communist Czech Republic.
Dismissing concerns from family and friends that her safety and career were at risk, she arrived with no teaching experience whatsoever, to work at a high school in a town she'd never heard of, where the winters are frigid and plunge to sub-zero temperatures.
During her childhood on an isolated cattle station in Central Australia, Tanya had always dreamt of adventure and romance in Europe but the Czech Republic was not the stuff of her dreams. On arrival, however, she falls headlong into misadventures that change her life forever.
This land of castles, history and culture opened up to her and she to it. In love with Prague and her people, particularly with the charismatic Karel, who takes her into his home, his family and as far as he can into his heart, Tanya learns about lives very different to hers.
Alice to Prague is bittersweet story of a search for identity, belonging and love, set in a time, a place and with a man that fill Tanya's life with contradictions.
'Vivid and detailed...captures the pain and freedom of dislocation and questions what it is to belong.' Kathryn Heyman, author of Storm and Grace
In 1994, with a battered copy of Let's Go Europe stuffed in her backpack, Tanya Heaslip left her safe life as a lawyer in outback Australia and travelled to the post-communist Czech Republic.
Dismissing concerns from family and friends that her safety and career were at risk, she arrived with no teaching experience whatsoever, to work at a high school in a town she'd never heard of, where the winters are frigid and plunge to sub-zero temperatures.
During her childhood on an isolated cattle station in Central Australia, Tanya had always dreamt of adventure and romance in Europe but the Czech Republic was not the stuff of her dreams. On arrival, however, she falls headlong into misadventures that change her life forever.
This land of castles, history and culture opened up to her and she to it. In love with Prague and her people, particularly with the charismatic Karel, who takes her into his home, his family and as far as he can into his heart, Tanya learns about lives very different to hers.
Alice to Prague is bittersweet story of a search for identity, belonging and love, set in a time, a place and with a man that fill Tanya's life with contradictions.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2019
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February 15, 2019'I loved it! I laughed and cried and it was very hard to put down.' Fleur McDonald, bestselling author of Where the River Runs
'Vivid and detailed… captures the pain and freedom of dislocation and questions what it is to belong.' Kathryn Heyman, author of Storm and Grace
'A story of love for country, for home.' Toni Tapp Coutts, author of A Sunburnt Childhood
'A brave, open-hearted and emotionally intense journey.' Liz Harfull, author of Women of the Land
'Vivid and detailed… captures the pain and freedom of dislocation and questions what it is to belong.' Kathryn Heyman, author of Storm and Grace
'A story of love for country, for home.' Toni Tapp Coutts, author of A Sunburnt Childhood
'A brave, open-hearted and emotionally intense journey.' Liz Harfull, author of Women of the Land
May 21, 2019
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Alice to Prague, written by Tanya Heaslip, is the true account of a how a young woman from the bush traded her life in the outback for a new world of travel, adventure, culture and love – in Prague. A truthful, emotional and meaningful memoir, Alice to Prague is a book that I found engaging and inspiring.
The outback runs through the author of this memoir, Tanya Heaslip’s veins. Growing up in the harsh wilds of central Australia, Tanya’s love for the land is innate. However, after a building a career as a lawyer, Tanya gets itchy feet and there is a new hunger that consumes her – to travel aboard.
‘But I knew there was another life. And I’d decided it for myself – overseas, in those lands of magic. Until then I would think about it and imagine it and tell myself stories about it.’
The travel bug sure caught Tanya Heaslip. An opportunity to teach abroad in the post communist nation of the Czech Republic ensues. Despite opposition from her friends and family back home, Tanya ignores their concerns and she makes her journey to the other side of the world. The shock upon arrival is abundantly clear, from her experiences at the airport, to her first evening in her new home. The town where she is to live and teach is still clearly suffering from the effects of communist rule. The locals are suspicious and downcast. Tanya grapples with homesickness, illness and she experiences extreme culture shock.
Grappling with the language, culture, social practices, weather and much more, Tanya trudges on. Eventually, Tanya sees the light and the inner beauty of her new home begins the shine bright. With stunning buildings, monuments, castles, palaces, cobbled streets and hidden cultural treasures, there is so much history to absorb. Tanya laps up all the Czech Republic has to offer. Along the way she builds many strong friendship bonds and she connects with a local man, Karel, who takes Tanya under his wing. But Tanya and Karel’s lives, as well as their expectations, are clearly not aligned and so begins a tussle of emotions as these two beating hearts try to come together. In the process Tanya learns about her desires, priorities and identity.
I was first drawn to Alice to Prague for a couple of reasons. The cover immediately seemed to sing to me. The deep contrast between our land down under is depicted, the scorching red earth is front and centre, which is juxtaposed with an upside down snapshot of a set of European style buildings from the Czech Republic. This image is an excellent symbol for the events that define this memoir. Spoken from the heart, the author details the tussle of emotions she experienced between her love for her outback home and the majestic city of Prague. It is a stark contrast, but Tanya Heaslip makes the reader see how it is possible to love and connect on different levels to two vastly different countries.
‘I talked to my friends and family constantly about Prague – its beauty, mystery, magic – and in some strange way felt more connected to Prague than I did to Alice.’
If you have ever considered abandoning it all, packing your suitcase and travelling abroad, this is a memoir that you should not miss. I admired Tanya Heaslip from the get-go. Despite the protests and concerns of her loved ones back home and the rocky start she was faced with during her early days in the Czech Republic, she soldiered on and she found her new life rewarding. I will take away this aspect of the memoir from my reading, it definitely sparked an strong desire in me to one day book that ticket and explore Prague.
For those who love their European history, Tanya Heaslip peppers her memoir with plenty of glorious travel sequences and observations of her life in Prague. She provides us with some stunning snapshots of the local buildings, key sites and local scenery. In addition, expect to experience all the sensations the Czech Republic has to offer, from the sights, sounds, smells, to the delectable local cuisine. Many people opened up their homes and lives to Tanya during her stay. We learn a great deal about the common customs, culture and language of this country. This aspect of the book was very much the eye opener, I knew next to little about this European destination.
‘By the end of the second week I was aching for the morning light on the Vltava that greeted me every day as I headed to work. The dark span of Charles Bridge at night. The jangling sound of trams along narrow cobbled streets. The sweeping lines of Renaissance buildings on the riverfront. Art Nouveau cafes overflowing with scholars debating culture, history and politics.’
A significant proportion of Alice to Prague is devoted to relationships. We watch on as Tanya forges a number of key friendships and links with the locals, which is referenced in her Epilogue. However, Alice to Prague is much more about the search for identity, love, connection, belonging and meaning. Tanya falls in love with a local man, Karel, but not only do the couple have to overcome the barriers of language and culture, they also battle matters of the heart. Karel has reservations based on his past experiences, which means he is unwilling to fully commit himself to Tanya. This sends Tanya into quite a state and she tries to overcome her yearning for a man who can never truly love her the way she wants to be loved. It is a moment of self realisation and the reader is there every heartbreaking step of the way.
In terms of personal preferences, I am a big fan of outback based memoirs and I would have loved to have heard more about this aspect of Tanya’s life. From the parting moments of Alice to Prague, I do know that Tanya Heaslip has since settled in a place that is very familiar to me – the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia. I would welcome another memoir from this engaging storyteller with open arms, if this is a direction Tanya would be willing to take in a future book.
All in all, I highly recommend this memoir. Alice to Prague offers the reader a soul searching rendition of finding your true desire and that spark in life that makes you feel more alive. Touching, insightful and exalting, fans of memoirs should not pass on this one.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Without a Doubt is book #71 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
Alice to Prague, written by Tanya Heaslip, is the true account of a how a young woman from the bush traded her life in the outback for a new world of travel, adventure, culture and love – in Prague. A truthful, emotional and meaningful memoir, Alice to Prague is a book that I found engaging and inspiring.
The outback runs through the author of this memoir, Tanya Heaslip’s veins. Growing up in the harsh wilds of central Australia, Tanya’s love for the land is innate. However, after a building a career as a lawyer, Tanya gets itchy feet and there is a new hunger that consumes her – to travel aboard.
‘But I knew there was another life. And I’d decided it for myself – overseas, in those lands of magic. Until then I would think about it and imagine it and tell myself stories about it.’
The travel bug sure caught Tanya Heaslip. An opportunity to teach abroad in the post communist nation of the Czech Republic ensues. Despite opposition from her friends and family back home, Tanya ignores their concerns and she makes her journey to the other side of the world. The shock upon arrival is abundantly clear, from her experiences at the airport, to her first evening in her new home. The town where she is to live and teach is still clearly suffering from the effects of communist rule. The locals are suspicious and downcast. Tanya grapples with homesickness, illness and she experiences extreme culture shock.
Grappling with the language, culture, social practices, weather and much more, Tanya trudges on. Eventually, Tanya sees the light and the inner beauty of her new home begins the shine bright. With stunning buildings, monuments, castles, palaces, cobbled streets and hidden cultural treasures, there is so much history to absorb. Tanya laps up all the Czech Republic has to offer. Along the way she builds many strong friendship bonds and she connects with a local man, Karel, who takes Tanya under his wing. But Tanya and Karel’s lives, as well as their expectations, are clearly not aligned and so begins a tussle of emotions as these two beating hearts try to come together. In the process Tanya learns about her desires, priorities and identity.
I was first drawn to Alice to Prague for a couple of reasons. The cover immediately seemed to sing to me. The deep contrast between our land down under is depicted, the scorching red earth is front and centre, which is juxtaposed with an upside down snapshot of a set of European style buildings from the Czech Republic. This image is an excellent symbol for the events that define this memoir. Spoken from the heart, the author details the tussle of emotions she experienced between her love for her outback home and the majestic city of Prague. It is a stark contrast, but Tanya Heaslip makes the reader see how it is possible to love and connect on different levels to two vastly different countries.
‘I talked to my friends and family constantly about Prague – its beauty, mystery, magic – and in some strange way felt more connected to Prague than I did to Alice.’
If you have ever considered abandoning it all, packing your suitcase and travelling abroad, this is a memoir that you should not miss. I admired Tanya Heaslip from the get-go. Despite the protests and concerns of her loved ones back home and the rocky start she was faced with during her early days in the Czech Republic, she soldiered on and she found her new life rewarding. I will take away this aspect of the memoir from my reading, it definitely sparked an strong desire in me to one day book that ticket and explore Prague.
For those who love their European history, Tanya Heaslip peppers her memoir with plenty of glorious travel sequences and observations of her life in Prague. She provides us with some stunning snapshots of the local buildings, key sites and local scenery. In addition, expect to experience all the sensations the Czech Republic has to offer, from the sights, sounds, smells, to the delectable local cuisine. Many people opened up their homes and lives to Tanya during her stay. We learn a great deal about the common customs, culture and language of this country. This aspect of the book was very much the eye opener, I knew next to little about this European destination.
‘By the end of the second week I was aching for the morning light on the Vltava that greeted me every day as I headed to work. The dark span of Charles Bridge at night. The jangling sound of trams along narrow cobbled streets. The sweeping lines of Renaissance buildings on the riverfront. Art Nouveau cafes overflowing with scholars debating culture, history and politics.’
A significant proportion of Alice to Prague is devoted to relationships. We watch on as Tanya forges a number of key friendships and links with the locals, which is referenced in her Epilogue. However, Alice to Prague is much more about the search for identity, love, connection, belonging and meaning. Tanya falls in love with a local man, Karel, but not only do the couple have to overcome the barriers of language and culture, they also battle matters of the heart. Karel has reservations based on his past experiences, which means he is unwilling to fully commit himself to Tanya. This sends Tanya into quite a state and she tries to overcome her yearning for a man who can never truly love her the way she wants to be loved. It is a moment of self realisation and the reader is there every heartbreaking step of the way.
In terms of personal preferences, I am a big fan of outback based memoirs and I would have loved to have heard more about this aspect of Tanya’s life. From the parting moments of Alice to Prague, I do know that Tanya Heaslip has since settled in a place that is very familiar to me – the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia. I would welcome another memoir from this engaging storyteller with open arms, if this is a direction Tanya would be willing to take in a future book.
All in all, I highly recommend this memoir. Alice to Prague offers the reader a soul searching rendition of finding your true desire and that spark in life that makes you feel more alive. Touching, insightful and exalting, fans of memoirs should not pass on this one.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Without a Doubt is book #71 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
May 1, 2019
Alice to Prague
From working on a cattle station in the Australian Outback in her childhood to leaving her career as a lawyer in Alice Springs, Tanya followed her dreams to travel to post-communist Czech Republic for a year. This is Tanya Heaslip’s very own story, Tanya took a high school position teaching English with no teacher's experience whatsoever in a country so extremely different from her home.
Reading Tanya’s story it was easy to imagine myself in Prague, it was so beautifully well written and descriptive, I felt so connected. I also grasped a good understanding of the Czech culture and history from this fascinating story.
I loved this book it was so interesting to read about Tanya’s life experience perspective with the good and not so good things she encountered. I highly recommend this gem.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for my ARC copy.
From working on a cattle station in the Australian Outback in her childhood to leaving her career as a lawyer in Alice Springs, Tanya followed her dreams to travel to post-communist Czech Republic for a year. This is Tanya Heaslip’s very own story, Tanya took a high school position teaching English with no teacher's experience whatsoever in a country so extremely different from her home.
Reading Tanya’s story it was easy to imagine myself in Prague, it was so beautifully well written and descriptive, I felt so connected. I also grasped a good understanding of the Czech culture and history from this fascinating story.
I loved this book it was so interesting to read about Tanya’s life experience perspective with the good and not so good things she encountered. I highly recommend this gem.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for my ARC copy.
May 27, 2019
This book is amazing. Such a beautiful, honest story about dreams, love of country, life struggles and choices and the pull of family and home. It’s raw and heartbreaking but also very inspiring. I could not put it down.
June 13, 2019
Three and a half stars.
This is an account of Tanya’s Heaslip’s radical change from leaving life in outback Australia in 1994 and heading off to the post-communist Czech Republic. With no teaching experience she ends up teaching English in a high school in a town where winter temperatures plunge to -20 degrees Celsius – a far cry from the temperatures she is used to. It is a huge change in lifestyle to for someone who grew up on an isolated cattle station in Central Australia. Tanya’s has always had romantic dreams of Europe fuelled by much of her childhood reading of fairy tales and the like. What she initially encounters is nothing like what she imagined. However later as she visits Prague, with it castles, history and culture it becomes more of what she had imagined. She also falls in love with the older man Karel. But his way of looking at life and love is very different to hers.
I enjoyed this memoir. The descriptions are wonderfully conveyed. I have never been to Central Australia or the Czech Republic but could visualise everything since it was so well described. That meant some of the negative aspects came to light as well as the positive and beautiful descriptions. For this Aussie, it’s fascinating to read of the differences in cultures and the influences of communism on a country. While I found those aspects interesting there were time s when I wasn’t as engaged in the story as I expected to be. Not really sure why. I wasn’t a fan of the ending as it felt rushed. Cramming a fair bit of info into a short space.
Overall I found it an interesting and enlightening reading experience, although I do admit to skimming in a couple of places like the pig slaughtering. Loved the cover on this book. Thanks to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review.
This is an account of Tanya’s Heaslip’s radical change from leaving life in outback Australia in 1994 and heading off to the post-communist Czech Republic. With no teaching experience she ends up teaching English in a high school in a town where winter temperatures plunge to -20 degrees Celsius – a far cry from the temperatures she is used to. It is a huge change in lifestyle to for someone who grew up on an isolated cattle station in Central Australia. Tanya’s has always had romantic dreams of Europe fuelled by much of her childhood reading of fairy tales and the like. What she initially encounters is nothing like what she imagined. However later as she visits Prague, with it castles, history and culture it becomes more of what she had imagined. She also falls in love with the older man Karel. But his way of looking at life and love is very different to hers.
I enjoyed this memoir. The descriptions are wonderfully conveyed. I have never been to Central Australia or the Czech Republic but could visualise everything since it was so well described. That meant some of the negative aspects came to light as well as the positive and beautiful descriptions. For this Aussie, it’s fascinating to read of the differences in cultures and the influences of communism on a country. While I found those aspects interesting there were time s when I wasn’t as engaged in the story as I expected to be. Not really sure why. I wasn’t a fan of the ending as it felt rushed. Cramming a fair bit of info into a short space.
Overall I found it an interesting and enlightening reading experience, although I do admit to skimming in a couple of places like the pig slaughtering. Loved the cover on this book. Thanks to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review.
April 30, 2019
What an enjoyable read! I raced through this book, reluctant to put it down. I was drawn along by the characters and the story. Tanya has painted an evocative picture of her early childhood in the Australian outback through to her 'early life' crisis and searching for more. By the time she ends up in Prague, her unlikely journey from Alice Springs makes sense (only to then have her world turned upside down by falling in love). There were so many times in this book that I could have imagined myself doing exactly the same thing, in part because Tanya draws her story so well but also because she addresses her inner world with courage and honesty. I am looking forward to reading whatever Tanya comes up with next. I'm sure she has more than just this story to tell, taking into account the thrilling insights in the book about her childhood on a remote cattle station in the Northern Territory!
April 25, 2019
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for this ARC Uncorrected Proof to read and review.
This book is not my usual genre. Had the style of writing continued as displayed in the Prologue this would have given this reader a very different opinion.
The book is light entertainment and easy to read as it has little substance.
Tanya Heaslip grows up on a cattle property in the harsh conditions of the surrounds of middle of Australia. The work is hard and the people are tough. “The dirt and grease and red dust would make grotesque masks of our faces”. At this point, the book looks promising, however, due to her mother's subtle reinforcing of another world through waltzing up and down the kitchen to the Blue Danube and pretending Tanya and her are princesses along with childhood books of another world, of fantasy, Tanya even after her higher education achievements yearns for her delusional world of Castles and magical places, dancing with her prince, surrounded by snow capped mountains, eyes shining voices singing. (This is the television commercial fantasy for the river cruises on the Danube, without mentioning that boats are shuffled up and down the river.)
Travelling solo overseas, registers negatively to her (most solo travellers use the opportunity positively to hook up with locals). The Berlin wall falls for which Tanya is able see first hand with her uni friend Michael. Returning home, a work contact, a linguist, who has spent a successful time in Prague teaching English urges Tanya to try her luck. The linguist part of her friend doesn't really register on her enough to have an impact on her decision. Tanya arrives in Prague where she is met by her Czechoslovakian contacts. What follows is Tanya's obvious naivety of life under Communist rule and for which throughout the rest of the read is highlighted by her petulant attitude. Her Czechoslovakian work friends and her lover show enormous patience with her and are to be applauded.
An author’s responsibility for reporting facts in the true form for this reader are extremely important and for which two items are disputed. Firstly, The Bay of Pigs as mentioned was a fiasco for the United States for which, the CIA, President Eisenhower and President Kennedy were ultimately held responsible. Secondly whilst Australia does not have old castles, the Sunshine Coast in Queensland does indeed have a castle where medieval contests and events are held. These items should be amended or left out.
This book is not my usual genre. Had the style of writing continued as displayed in the Prologue this would have given this reader a very different opinion.
The book is light entertainment and easy to read as it has little substance.
Tanya Heaslip grows up on a cattle property in the harsh conditions of the surrounds of middle of Australia. The work is hard and the people are tough. “The dirt and grease and red dust would make grotesque masks of our faces”. At this point, the book looks promising, however, due to her mother's subtle reinforcing of another world through waltzing up and down the kitchen to the Blue Danube and pretending Tanya and her are princesses along with childhood books of another world, of fantasy, Tanya even after her higher education achievements yearns for her delusional world of Castles and magical places, dancing with her prince, surrounded by snow capped mountains, eyes shining voices singing. (This is the television commercial fantasy for the river cruises on the Danube, without mentioning that boats are shuffled up and down the river.)
Travelling solo overseas, registers negatively to her (most solo travellers use the opportunity positively to hook up with locals). The Berlin wall falls for which Tanya is able see first hand with her uni friend Michael. Returning home, a work contact, a linguist, who has spent a successful time in Prague teaching English urges Tanya to try her luck. The linguist part of her friend doesn't really register on her enough to have an impact on her decision. Tanya arrives in Prague where she is met by her Czechoslovakian contacts. What follows is Tanya's obvious naivety of life under Communist rule and for which throughout the rest of the read is highlighted by her petulant attitude. Her Czechoslovakian work friends and her lover show enormous patience with her and are to be applauded.
An author’s responsibility for reporting facts in the true form for this reader are extremely important and for which two items are disputed. Firstly, The Bay of Pigs as mentioned was a fiasco for the United States for which, the CIA, President Eisenhower and President Kennedy were ultimately held responsible. Secondly whilst Australia does not have old castles, the Sunshine Coast in Queensland does indeed have a castle where medieval contests and events are held. These items should be amended or left out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2019
3 1/2 Stars. Thanks to A&U for my uncorrected proof copy.
There are many biographies that delve into the experience of living and finding a new life (or sense of purpose) by spending time abroad but I do feel that Heaslip has managed to delve a little deeper than just ‘a coming of age/ finding romance story. While she does write about these facets of her life I believe her ability to communicate an understanding of Czech culture and history is what I found most interesting.
This autobiography provides a glimpse of Prague and it’s people reintegrating with the ‘Western world’ after many years of enforced separation due to political ideology. While many of us have been led (through our Western education) to believe that there was nothing good to come from Communism Tanya Heaslip was confronted with a different reality. Many people were accepting and even happy with their life under communist rule and actually found the transition to democracy a frightening prospect, or at least one that might degrade their strong sense of family and community.
I’ve recently read PRAGUE SPRING By Simon Mawer (a fantastic novel set during the 1968 uprising) and I found this useful complementary reading for this novel.
I’m not sure I needed quite so many references to Kafka.
There are many biographies that delve into the experience of living and finding a new life (or sense of purpose) by spending time abroad but I do feel that Heaslip has managed to delve a little deeper than just ‘a coming of age/ finding romance story. While she does write about these facets of her life I believe her ability to communicate an understanding of Czech culture and history is what I found most interesting.
This autobiography provides a glimpse of Prague and it’s people reintegrating with the ‘Western world’ after many years of enforced separation due to political ideology. While many of us have been led (through our Western education) to believe that there was nothing good to come from Communism Tanya Heaslip was confronted with a different reality. Many people were accepting and even happy with their life under communist rule and actually found the transition to democracy a frightening prospect, or at least one that might degrade their strong sense of family and community.
I’ve recently read PRAGUE SPRING By Simon Mawer (a fantastic novel set during the 1968 uprising) and I found this useful complementary reading for this novel.
I’m not sure I needed quite so many references to Kafka.
May 3, 2019
How brave to share such intimate experiences and emotions - and what a story!
I was immediately captivated by the glorious prose - the descriptions of outback Australia were evocative of our ancient landscapes and the descriptions of intense heat and dust were almost tangible. Told through the dreamy eyes of a very young girl from the bush, this tale had me hooked from the outset.
Often touching, sometimes humorous but always challenging, the story of the move to Prague with no knowledge of the language is enchanting. Add a serious but complicated romance to the mix and I found it difficult to stop reading this glorious memoir.
I was immediately captivated by the glorious prose - the descriptions of outback Australia were evocative of our ancient landscapes and the descriptions of intense heat and dust were almost tangible. Told through the dreamy eyes of a very young girl from the bush, this tale had me hooked from the outset.
Often touching, sometimes humorous but always challenging, the story of the move to Prague with no knowledge of the language is enchanting. Add a serious but complicated romance to the mix and I found it difficult to stop reading this glorious memoir.
February 27, 2019
More than just a travel log ‘girl from the bush treks through Europe’! Tanya has the incredible ability to take you with her as you ride together on her rollercoaster of experiences. So many layers and insights into human connection, the true impacts of the Cold War on a country’s soul, and brilliant juxtaposition of the heart of central Australia, The Czech Republic and their people. Such a rare opportunity to have shared the challenges faced by the legal and political players, together with everyday people, at a time of such transformation in Czech history. I’m off now to book a ticket to Prague - to check out its people, its castles, rivers and nooks and crannies, that Tanya has painted so beautifully, in ways no travel guide ever could! Can’t wait for her next instalment ...
May 1, 2019
This was a beautiful book to read. Tanya's poetic description of her early life in outback Australia through her adventures in post-communist eastern Europe was a delight. I was moved to tears at times by the emotions evoked in her description of the highs and lows of how she 'came of age' during this journey.
May 6, 2019
Alice to Prague takes you on a very personal journey. Heaslip’s narrative swept me up and hurtled me along, through the centre of Australia, the centre of Europe, and emotions and experiences that are clearly central to her own life story. Not altogether an out-of-control horse ride, but at times it does seem frighteningly close.
...
Writing a memoir has to be a brave act. Alice to Prague is the work of a mature woman taking the reins (sic) of that story by documenting a deeply significant period in her life. Perhaps the writer is coming to terms with that time – what it was, what it meant. Is she exploring what might have been? Is she setting some of the record straight?...
Heaslip invites you into the heart and mind of her young adult self, as she leaves the comforts of home in pursuit of ill-defined yet compelling dreams. She makes her way into the newly-formed Czech Republic, the ghostly presence of the recently fallen Iron Curtain reflected in the architecture and poverty, and in the often strange habits of the people she encounters. Tanya digs herself deeper and deeper – into her work, Czech culture and language, and love....
At her peril, the adult Tanya cherishes childhood notions of castles, sparkling chandeliers, ball gowns and fairy godmothers. These lighthearted themes collide, often painfully, with her discovery of the hard, cold (war) realities of late 20th Century Europe, and with the vicissitudes of her own experiences. But serendipity plays her hand, and Prague, where not all was lost in the war, delivers the magic....
The author, without a hint of arrogance or self-congratulations, depicts her younger self experiencing the extraordinary generosity of strangers. Despite her lack of experience and confidence, Tanya has doors – and arms and hearts – thrown open to her. The reader believes it is not so much her vulnerability or her natural charm that draws people in, but Tanya’s warmth and honesty, which are palpable in the author’s voice....
Alice to Prague is, above all, a love story, and one that touches upon big themes. Is there a case for being cruel to be kind? Does she do the right thing? Does he?...
I so much enjoyed taking this ride – with the open-minded, free-spirited, while often lonely and frightened, Tanya. You will laugh and you will cry. As I did, I am sure you will care deeply for the traveller, and truly appreciate this, Heaslip's quite wonderful first book.March 11, 2019
Tanya opens this great story with memories of growing up in outback Australia. Descriptions of rounding up cattle in the blasting heat and not going home (despite serious injuries) until the chosen animal is gutted and sectioned. Quite startling for those of us who grew up very sheltered from this very different upbringing.
Then skip a few years and Tanya has made the decision to up and leave a good career in Law and teach English in the Czech Republic despite having no teaching experience and not speaking the native language. The history lesson this book contains is vital and Tanya tells it well. The post communist Czech Republic is not what is expected. Living standards are extremely tough, jobs hard to source,pay very low and life in general quite basic with better opportunities hard to come by. The majority of the population live in tiny apartments in huge blocks that all look the same. Most will live in the same tiny apartment forever. However, these wonderful people have risen above hardship and learned to live with what they have and make Tanya incredibly welcome in their country, homes and lives. The book takes us through the toughness and beauty of the Czech Republic. Introduces us to some wonderful and warm personalities and teaches us some valuable lessons about life and love. Tanya does find love in Prague and with that comes both happiness and extreme frustration. This is a book you don't want to put down or to end. My only disappointment is waiting 12 months for her next one. This is one great read!
Then skip a few years and Tanya has made the decision to up and leave a good career in Law and teach English in the Czech Republic despite having no teaching experience and not speaking the native language. The history lesson this book contains is vital and Tanya tells it well. The post communist Czech Republic is not what is expected. Living standards are extremely tough, jobs hard to source,pay very low and life in general quite basic with better opportunities hard to come by. The majority of the population live in tiny apartments in huge blocks that all look the same. Most will live in the same tiny apartment forever. However, these wonderful people have risen above hardship and learned to live with what they have and make Tanya incredibly welcome in their country, homes and lives. The book takes us through the toughness and beauty of the Czech Republic. Introduces us to some wonderful and warm personalities and teaches us some valuable lessons about life and love. Tanya does find love in Prague and with that comes both happiness and extreme frustration. This is a book you don't want to put down or to end. My only disappointment is waiting 12 months for her next one. This is one great read!
May 19, 2019
I loved this book and could hardly put it down. Tanya writes so vividly I almost felt I was present with her, whether choking on the dust at the tail of a mob or on the sulphurous air of Sedlcany; walking the cobbled streets of gracious Prague or travelling on the rocking trams. I fell in love with the people who befriended her and felt I almost knew them for myself. It was a very moving account of travel and adventure, friendship, love and family and sense of place. Thank you Tanya for telling your story, I can’t wait to read your next book!
May 21, 2019
A fantastic debut novel. This book keeps you enthralled from start to finish as you follow the travels and adventures of a very courageous young woman. Such a candid and refreshingly honest memoir which has you laughing and crying. Highly recommend. I can’t wait to read Tanya’s next novel.
February 1, 2020
I loved this book for 2 main reasons, firstly it showed you the Czech Republic in a way no glossy brochure would and secondly it showed you a love story that only truth can really demonstrate, raw, beautiful and brutal all at once. I love being surprised and taken on an unexpected journey by a writer, thankyou!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2019
In 1994, Tanya, a young lawyer from Alice Springs, goes to Czechoslovakia to teach English and fulfill her dream of learning about life in a post-communist country. A brave step indeed for one with no knowledge of the language, and no teaching experience.
She recounts in a very emotional way the good times and the bad, including her distress at her living quarters, her acute loneliness, the day to day struggles, but also, the great joys she experienced there of her teaching, the friends she makes, music, architecture and more, and a love relationship filled with both great happiness and huge challenges.
The writing is open and honest, and directly from the heart. I love this book, and highly recommend it.
She recounts in a very emotional way the good times and the bad, including her distress at her living quarters, her acute loneliness, the day to day struggles, but also, the great joys she experienced there of her teaching, the friends she makes, music, architecture and more, and a love relationship filled with both great happiness and huge challenges.
The writing is open and honest, and directly from the heart. I love this book, and highly recommend it.
May 9, 2019
I loved this book! A joy to read, from start to finish!
February 27, 2019
More than just a travel log of the adventures of a girl from the bush trekking through Europe. Tanya has the incredible ability to take you with her as you ride together on her rollercoaster of experiences. So many layers and insights into human connection, the true impacts of the Cold War on a country’s soul, and juxtaposing brilliantly the heart of central Australia, The Czech Republic and their people. Such a rare opportunity to have shared the challenges faced by the legal and political players and everyday people, at a time of such transformation in Czech history. I’m off now to book a ticket to Prague - to check out its people, its castles, rivers and nooks and crannies, that Tanya has painted so beautifully, in ways no travel guide ever could!
March 25, 2019
This was a well-written memoir about an Aussie lawyer from the bush who moved to the Czech Republic in the early 90s to teach English and fell in love with a handsome Czech man. It's about the difficulties she faced moving to a country where she knew no-one and didn't speak the language. It's about the isolation and homesickness she felt being so far away from her home, her family and everything familiar. But it's also about how she fell in love with both the country and the people she met.
Heaslip's descriptions of her outback home and of Prague are so detailed and vivid and her evocative writing is what makes this book so good.
Thanks to Allen & Unwin for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Heaslip's descriptions of her outback home and of Prague are so detailed and vivid and her evocative writing is what makes this book so good.
Thanks to Allen & Unwin for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 24, 2019
‘Alice to Prague’ is an incredibly beautiful book, full to the brim humour and hilarity! This book should be a movie! Loved it!
April 20, 2019
This book was beautifully written and extremely descriptive. I was easily caught up in the story and able to picture myself in Prague. The juxtaposition between Alice and Prague must have been incredible to experience and also such a shock especially given Tanya arrived there in the pre-internet days. I feel Tanya conveyed her feelings throughout the book effectively allowing me to relate and understand them. I loved the way the book delved into relationships. Not just the romantic kind but the friendships that make you stronger and bring out the best in you. A fantastic read!
June 2, 2019
I started reading this book thinking it would be a gentle tale of mild adventure. It is much more than that. It combines a charming love story with a late in life coming of age adventure. Heaslip muses on what it means to grow up in isolation, not just in the remote bush but in the unchallenged world view of the Australia of the late 20th century. She yearns for more and fears that the more she yearns for may exist only in her imagination.
June 19, 2020
A wonderful bittersweet story, courage in facing the unknown sits alongside a great evocative opening set in the centre of Australia.
A story of two opposite worlds and of trying to reconcile them which proves impossible. But it is still a great love story - the love to two places and their people and the love for one particular person who is trapped in an unreachable place.
A story of two opposite worlds and of trying to reconcile them which proves impossible. But it is still a great love story - the love to two places and their people and the love for one particular person who is trapped in an unreachable place.
June 3, 2019
I’ve just this moment finished Alice to Prague. Absolutely loved it!! I want to buy the film rights!! What an excellent first novel. I’ve read a lot of books by well known authors that need a bloody good editing. This has near perfect balance. I was in tears at the end. Tanya has gone straight to the human heart. Bravo!!!!
June 11, 2019
I’ve lived in Alice & had my own brief love affair with Prague; I actually brought home some little houses which still have pride of place on my shelf. I was so keen for this story; I knew I could relate. For me the writing was nothing to write home about but I loved the lessons that I came away with; that “home is not just where the heart is but where a person can live and work and love fully and openly.” This was a beautifully romantic story on so many levels. Prague will always hold magic for me and this story contains some lovely gifts and reflection about living and life.
August 11, 2019
Very mills and boonies... starts out fabulously detailing our central desert, things that happen to make us seek out worldly experience and then travelling to the eastern block after the Velvet Revolution. 😊 but she lost me with the ‘sparkling blue eyes’ and it was all downhill from there. Reckon Peter Barr should write a memoir!
January 27, 2020
For a well-educated lawyer, Tanya was an incredibly naïve traveller.
October 29, 2020
I started out sceptical when I picked up this book. Tanya Heaslip, though, proved to be a highly engaging and adept storyteller, who delves deep into her innermost thoughts and feelings on dealing with a new environment, fish-out-water situations in which she found herself in, when choosing to teach English in a small Czech town in the early 1990s. The appeal of the book is in Heaslip's disarming honesty when sharing her experiences and the fact that she is a highly intelligent person who is not afraid to show how unprepared she was for living in another country, one that had just come out of decades of Stalinist rule. This is a thinking, cosmopolitan person's memoir that is well-structured, unabashedly passionate and gets under your skin, particularly if you are interested in themes of empathy, learning, realisation, compassion and acceptance.
July 6, 2019
I'm not really one for reading biographies but this had a special interest to me as my heritage is based in the Czech Republic.
This was such an amazing read and it was so delightful especially in the time it was based in with The Velvet Revolution and the ending of the Berlin Wall.
It was amazing to read about the history of Czechoslovakia and how it became the Czech Republic. It was facinating to know that even after the republic was created, it was still a very tough place to live.
This was such an amazing read and it was so delightful especially in the time it was based in with The Velvet Revolution and the ending of the Berlin Wall.
It was amazing to read about the history of Czechoslovakia and how it became the Czech Republic. It was facinating to know that even after the republic was created, it was still a very tough place to live.
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