The Absolute at Large  •  Karel Capek LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES The bizzare, satirical science fiction masterpiece, originally published in Czech in 1922. An unwitting scientist unleashes the power of God upon the world as a byproduct of a new nuclear reactor. (CZH72, $16.95)
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay  •  Michael Chabon LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 656 PAGES A dazzling tale that follows its heros from Nazi-occupied Prague to New York and the Antarctic, where US forces are stationed to keep an eye on the Germans. Houdini, the Golem, Hitler, inventor of the superhero Stan Lee and other mostly historical figues make an appearance in the lives of Chabon's protagonists Joe and Sammy. Even if you're not much interested in New York or the golden age of comic books (and are puzzled by swoops and twists of the comic-book plot), you'll appreciate Chabon's flare for language and his characters. It won a Pulitzer. (ANT175, $15.00)
Architecture of New Prague 1895-1945  •  Rostislav Svacha  •  Alexandra Buchler  •  Jan Maly ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  HARD COVER  • 544 PAGES Originally published in Czech in 1985, this groundbreaking book stakes out the first half of the 20th century as a seminal period for Czech architecture. It's a major scholarly survey of cubist, rondocubist and constructivist contributions to Prague, with site plans, excellent black-and-white photos of buildings and scholarly paraphernalia. (CZH49, $75.00)
The Arsonist  •  Egon Hostovsky  •  Christopher Morris LITERATURE •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 165 PAGES A slippery, intriguing tale of resentment and frustration set in Zbecnov, a town of the eastern of Bohemia (not unlike the town where Hostovsky was raised). Originally published in 1935, the novel explores the town and its youth in the face of a suspicious fire. (CZH42, $17.50)
Art for Travellers Prague  •  Deanna MacDonald GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES An illustrated guide to Bohemian art and architecture in and around Prague, organized by neighborhood. (CZH66, $20.00)
Avant-Guide Prague, Insiders' Guide for Urban Adventures  •  Dan Levine GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 328 PAGES Created by a former Frommer's writer who wanted to make guidebooks which were neither travel essays nor phone books, this opinionated volume packs useful, youthful information into a colorful format. Includes interviews with Czech notables, maps, photos and some of the funniest descriptions to ever grace a "guidebook." Each restaurant, shiop, hotel or site is given a nice, long description. The jazzy design, with text often printed against a dark background, looks interesteing but makes this book none too easy to read. What were they thinking? (CZH22, $19.95)
The Axe  •  Ludvik Vaculik  •  Marian Sling LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 223 PAGES A story of ideology, played out between father and son, set against the cultural reawakening of 1960's Czechoslovakia. (CZH34, $16.00)
Blue Guide Prague  •  Jasper Tilbury GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A detailed guide to the jewel of Eastern Europe complete with practical information, maps and cultural and historical background of Prague and Central Bohemia. With a color map, site plans and line drawings. (CZH56, $21.95)
The Book of Images  •  Rainer Maria Rilke  •  Edward Snow LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES Poems and lyrics from Rilke during his most emotional and impressionistic period (1902-1906), ably translated by Edward Snow and presented in bilingual format on facing pages. With poems reflecting on his childhood in Bohemia. (GER122, $16.00)
Bradt Guide Bratislava  •  Lucy Mallows GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER A helpful, condensed guide in the popular series. (EUR275, $13.95)
Bradt Travel Guide Slovakia  •  Lucinda Mallows GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER A practical guide in the popular British series. (EUR262, $24.99)
Bratislava Map  •  Freytag & Berndt MAP A detailed walking map of the capital of Slovakia at a scale of 1:20,000. (CZH82, $9.95)
Breathing Under Water and Other East European Essays  •  Stanislaw Baranczak CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1992 •  PAPER  • 258 PAGES Poet and professor Stanislaw Baranczak, a fixture on the Eastern European intellectual scene in the second half of the 20th century, reflects on writers and writing in this collection of stimulating and insightful essays. (EUR139, $12.50)
Bury Me Standing  •  Isabel Fonseca CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 322 PAGES The Roma, as the Gypsies call themselves, have a long tradition in Eastern European culture -- influencing the music, foods, religious and folk traditions. This is an excellent book on the evasive subject of Roma culture in Eastern Europe, painstakingly researched by Ms. Fonseca as she traveled and lived among Gypsies. Black-and-white photos help give a human face to the conditions of the Roma, their history among the settled peoples of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany and the prospects for their cultural survival in the "new" Eastern Europe. (EUR09, $14.95)
Cadogan Guide Prague  •  Sadakat Kadri GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A comprehensive guide to Prague in the excellent British series featuring a 14-page section of full-page, full-color street maps and detailed listings of where to go and what to do. With 80 hotels and 155 restuarants, all described. (CZH48, $14.95)
Candles in the Dark, A New Spirit for a Plural World  •  Barbara Baudot  •  Vaclav Havel ANTHOLOGY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A thought-provoling and timely guide to putting globalization and public policy into a firm ethical context. With contributions by diverse scholars, politicians and advocates. (WLD36, $25.00)
The Castle, A New Translation, Based on the Restored Text  •  Franz Kafka  •  Mark Harman  •  Malcolm Pasley LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 328 PAGES The story of a man, known only as K, and his fruitless struggle to gain entrance into The Castle and all that the castle may represent. This new translation of Kafka's unfinished masterpiece does great justice to the author's powerful tale. (EUR68, $14.00)
Cathedrals and Castles, Building in the Middle Ages  •  Alain Erlande-Brandenburg ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A slim encyclopedia of the art, architecture and culture of the Middle Ages. This volume in the acclaimed "Discoveries" series features hundreds of drawings and color illustrations, a brief chronology and more information than you would imagine between its slim covers. Take it along to gain a better appreciation of the Middle Ages and its legacy in Europe. (MED07, $12.95)
Central Europe Map  •  Freytag & Berndt 2004 •  MAP A colorful physical relief map of Central Europe at a scale of 1:2,000,000. (EUR12, $11.95)
Central Europe, Enemies, Neighbors, Friends  •  Lonnie Johnson HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 351 PAGES An academic survey of the social, political, and economic past of Central Europe, and the conflicts that stir modern-day European politics. From medieval to modern times, the formative historical events of Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia, are all introduced. Johnson is especially successful in analyzing the struggle of small nations in the face of imperial powers and how these experiences have created a diverse European heritage. With maps. Awarded an Outstanding Academic Book of 1997 by Choice. (EUR69, $39.95)
Clara's Grand Tour, Travels With a Rhinoceros in Eighteenth-century Europe  •  Glynis Ridley HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The entertaining history of a most unusual eighteenth-century European celebrity. Clara the Indian rhinoceros was brought to Europe in 1741 by the Dutch sea captain Douwemout Van der Meer, and toured for seventeen years, to the delight of heads of state such as Louis XV and Frederick the Great. A marvelous and unique look at the introduction of Eastern wildlife into the Western world. (FRN536, $12.00)
Collected Stories  •  Franz Kafka LITERATURE •  1993 •  HARD COVER  • 560 PAGES A comprehensive antholgy of Kafka's stories in an Everyman's Library edition. (CZH61, $24.00)
The Cossacks, An Illustrated History  •  John Ure HISTORY •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES In this lively, beautifully illustrated overview, a career diplomat (and frequent visitor to the region) explores the history of the Cossacks in Southern Russia and central Asia and their role in world affairs. With 105 color and 30 black and white illustrations. Interestingly, Ure challenges the notion that the Cossacks are no longer influential (or evident), detailing their involvement in Chechnya, Bosnia and other places. (RUS135, $45.00)
Culture Smart! Czech Republic  •  Nicole Rosenleaf Ritter GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER A concise, well-illustrated and practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture. (CZH64, $9.95)
Czech and Slovak Republics Map  •  Michelin Travel Publications 2005 •  MAP A shaded relief map of the two nations at a scale of 1:600,000, with insets of Prague and Bratislava. It also covers the route of the Danube between Regensburg and Budapest. (CEU17, $11.95)
Czech, Start Speaking Today  •  Language/30 LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  1988 •  AUDIO CD A 90-minute crash course in Czech featured on compact disc with a phrasebook. (CZH71, $21.95)
Czecho/Slovakia: Ethnic Conflict, Constitutional Fissure, Negotiated Breakup  •  Eric Stein HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 386 PAGES A fascinating, scholarly account of Stein's experiences consulting on constitutional reform in Czechoslovakia. A Czech-born professor of law at the University of Michigan, Stein was asked by Havel and the government to participate in drafting the democratic constitution (a process which ultimately resulted in the orderly breakup of the country). In addition to his own experiences and research, Stein interviews dozens of politicians and others about the failure to reach agreement. (CZH40, $29.95)
Dvorak and His World  •  Michael Beckerman MUSIC •  1993 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES This volume about the famed Czech composer is divided into two parts: the first is a collection of essays dealing with his relations to his country and other composers, while the second is a set of letters, early reviews, and other documents. Together, they provide an interesting view of his personal life and his influence on the world around him. (CZH23, $27.95)
Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century and After  •  R. J. Crampton HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 526 PAGES A well-written, insightful scholarly country-by-county history of modern Eastern Europe. (EUR273, $42.95)
Eastern Europe Map  •  Freytag & Berndt MAP A detailed travel map of Eastern Europe at a scale of 1:2,000,000 with the Baltic States, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia from St. Petersburg to Moscow and the Black Sea. Place names are in the local language and Cyrillic. (EUR36, $11.95)
The Engineer of Human Souls  •  Josef Skvorecky  •  Paul Wilson LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 592 PAGES This complex, entertaining novel centers on protagonist Danny Smiricky, a writer in exile, living and teaching in Canada after living under both the Nazis and the Communists. (CZH29, $14.95)
Eyewitness Guide Vienna  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES This superb guide to Vienna features color photography, dozens of excellent neighborhood maps and a district-by-district synopsis of the city's attractions. An extensive timeline of Viennese history, suggested walks in the city, a chapter on day trips in the region, and helpful listings of accommodations, restaurants and shops are also included. (AST01, $23.00)
Eyewitness Prague Pocket Map & Guide  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 80 PAGES This superb guide to Prague features color photography, easy-to-use foldout maps and top attractions. Convenient and up-to-date with an unbeatable price, this is the guide to carry. (CZH69, $6.99)
A False Dawn, My Life as a Gypsy Woman in Slovakia  •  Ilona Lackova LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A family memoir and oral history of life in a tightly knit Roma community in Slovakia after WWII. (CZH81, $23.95)
Fodor's Prague  •  Fodor's Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2009 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES • COMING IN FEBRUARY A practical guide in the popular series, filled with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining. (CZH89, $17.95)
Frommer's Prague Day by Day  •  Mark Baker GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES A compact shirt pocket guide, ideal for a short visit, featuring remarkably good suggestions for everything from food to hotels, neighborhoods and shopping. With a separate foldout map of the city center. (CZH85, $12.99)
The Golem  •  Gustave Meyrink LITERATURE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 190 PAGES The famous mystical, terrifying novel of the supernatural set in Prague's Jewish Ghetto in 1890. (CZH41, $9.95)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral  •  Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES Scott, whose interest in the history of cathedrals began when he first saw the magnificent Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury, England, takes his reader on a historical, architectural and sociological tour of the magnificent spires and stained-glass windows that dot the landscape of Europe. It's an accessible, personable overview. (EUR190, $17.95)
Great Country Houses of Central Europe: The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland  •  Lord Michael Pratt  •  Gerhard Trumler ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 380 PAGES An illustrated history of the palaces, villas, and castles of Central Europe, as well as the families that built them and the surrounding gardens, grounds, art and interiors. Lord Michael Pratt, a British scholar specializing in modern European history, focuses on 30 estates throughout Central Europe. With 380 illustrations, 350 in full color. (CEU34, $95.00)
The Great Jewish Cities of Central and Eastern Europe  •  Eli Valley GUIDEBOOK •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 538 PAGES Subtitled "A Travel Guide and Resource Book to Prague, Warsaw, Cracow, and Budapest," this guidebook covers the Jewish history and attractions of these major European cities. With suggested walks, site descriptions and information on each city's Jewish traditions, this is the most comprehensive guide of its type available. (EUR95, $72.00)
The Grooves of Change, Eastern Europe at the Turn of the Millennium  •  J.F. Brown HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES A survey of the events from the fall of communism to 2000 by a leading scholar. Brown discusses social and political change in the region, prospects for the future -- and the growing economic rift between East Central and South Eastern Europe. (EUR90, $23.95)
Here Is Where We Meet  •  John Berger LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $14.00)
Historical Atlas of Central Europe  •  Paul Mogocsi HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 232 PAGES An influential, authoritative survey of maps and shifting borders in the region from the Middle Ages until the present. With dozens of superb color maps illuminating the history and ethnic complexity of this bewildering part of the world. The atlas covers the region from Poland, Lithuania, and the eastern part of Germany to Greece and western Turkey and extends in time from the early fifth century to the present. (EUR33, $45.00)
The History of Eastern Europe for Beginners  •  Paul Beck HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 186 PAGES • COMING IN An irreverent tour of recent Eastern European history in documentary comic-book style, a provocative, fast-moving and opinionated look at who is in conflict with whom and why, nationhood, ethnicity and the future. (EUR30, $11.00)
The Improbable Voyage  •  Tristan Jones TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 332 PAGES A personable sailor's yarn of a tough trip by water across Europe along the Rhine and Danube to the Black Sea. Jones, an inveterate Welsh sailor, adventurer and storyteller, tackles not only sailing, but also the people, politics and flavor of Eastern Europe circa 1985. Just in case, he flies the Red Ensign, the Stars and Stripes, and the Red Dragon of Wales. This is the middle book in a series of three travel books that charts his 2,000-mile voyage across Europe on his on his 38-foot trimaran Outward Leg. (EUR156, $16.50)
Insight City Guide Prague  •  Mar Lord GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A practical, portable guide to Prague. Organized geographically, this compact guide features color photographs, maps, concise essays on history and culture, and a brief overview of attractions. (CZH88, $15.95)
The Joke  •  Milan Kundera LITERATURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES In this novel a student in Communist Czechoslovakia is imprisoned when he sends a postcard to his girlfriend -- "Optimism is the opium of the masses!…Long live Trotsky!" Years later, he comes up with a plan for revenge. (CZH36, $13.95)
Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafes of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague  •  Rick Rodgers FOOD •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 232 PAGES A sumptuous presentation of the elegant desserts and romantic cities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. (EUR206, $37.50)
Kafka's Milena  •  Jane Cerna  •  A. G. Brain  •  George Gibian BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 205 PAGES Milena, who kept a long-term correspondence with Franz Kafka, was a legend a legend and household name in 1930s Prague. This is her biography, as written by her daughter. (CZH35, $18.00)
Kafka's Prague, A Travel Reader  •  Klaus Wagenbach GUIDEBOOK •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 125 PAGES Cleverly organized as a city guide, this handsome volume takes the reader on a tour of Kafka's Prague. With period photos, memoirs and excepts from his writings, the Kafka lover or anyone interested in turn-of-the-century Prague will find this book a fascinating companion. Opening with a biography of the famous Czech author, the subsequent chapters are designed to give the reader a personal walking tour through the Prague Kafka knew best. An unusual alternative to the standard tour book format. (CZH03, $21.95)
Living in Freedom. The New Prague  •  Mark Sommer TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 261 PAGES Based on Sommers's visits to Prague both before and after the Velvet Revolution of 1989, this portrait blends history, travel narrative and political commentary. (CZH26, $11.95)
Lonely Planet Czech and Slovak Republics  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 488 PAGES In the hallmark Lonely Planet style, this practical guide to the Czech Republic and Slovakia features 95 maps, a good overview of culture, history and nature, and much nuts-and-bolts information on excursions, accommodations and sightseeing. With color photographs and excellent travel information. (CZH07, $22.99)
Lonely Planet Prague  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 282 PAGES A practical comprehensive guide to the city in the hallmark Lonely planet style. (CZH52, $18.99)
Lonely Planet Prague Encounter  •  Sarah Johnstone GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER With a section of not-to-missed highlights and a calendar of annual events, this lively pocket guide organized by neighborhood includes suggested side trips, along what to see and where to shop, eat, drink and play. With a double-sided pullout map. (CZH75, $11.99)
Mammals of Europe  •  Priscilla Barrett  •  David W. MacDonald FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Published by Princeton, this is a field guide to land and marine mammals throughout Europe, both endemic and introduced. With more than 600 color illustrations of over 200 mammals, it's a comprehensive handbook, with detailed descriptions, range maps and commentary on behavior. (FG61, $34.95)
Memoirs of an Anti-Semite, A Novel in Five Stories  •  Gregor Von Rezzori LITERATURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Set against a backdrop of Central Europe between the wars, these five connected stories follow the fate of a young Romanian -- and his tense, vacillating relationship with Jews (including his own Jewish wife). Originally serialized in the New Yorker in 1969, it's a brilliant, disturbing book. Born in Bukovina in the Capathian mountains, Rezzori's many novels and essays address shifting notions of identity in Central Europe since WWI. (CEU27, $19.00)
Moon Handbook Prague and Budapest  •  Tom Dirlis GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 370 PAGES A practical guide in the Moon series, packed not only with travel necessities (hotels, restaurants, sights), but also with a good overview of history and destinations throughout Prague and Budapest. (CZH86, $17.95)
National Geographic Traveler, Prague and The Czech Republic  •  Stephen Brook GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES A comprehensive guide to the area's artistic, historical and cultural landmarks, complete with detailed maps and full-color photos. (CZH55, $25.95)
On Foot to the Golden Horn: A Walk to Istanbul  •  Jason Goodwin TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 278 PAGES An outstanding travel writer and journalist, Goodwin interweaves history, incident and reflection in this excellent portrait of Central Europe. With chapters on Cracow, Slovakia, Budapest, Transylvania, Brasov and Bulgaria. (EUR81, $15.00)
The Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of Eastern Europe  •  Dennis Hupchick  •  Harold Cox HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 130 PAGES • COMING IN The changing borders and complex history of Eastern Europe as told through 52 maps and accompanying essays, organized chronologically. An excellent reference, the book shows the rise of Poland, changing borders of the Ottoman Empire, Hapsburgs and fate of Yugoslavia in admirable clarity. (EUR138, $19.95)
Plagues and Peoples  •  William McNeill HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 365 PAGES Wide-ranging, fascinating and well researched, this book traces the waves of epidemics that raged through Europe, particularly the famous Black Death of the 13th and 14th centuries. (EUR26, $15.95)
Prague, 20th Century Architecture  •  Stef Templ ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 220 PAGES A comprehensive guide to 225 modern buildings in Prague, featuring black-and-white photographs and detailed maps. (CZH67, $39.95)
The Radetzky March  •  Joseph Roth  •  Joachim Neugroschel LITERATURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 331 PAGES First published in 1932, this powerful novel spins a tale of three generations of the Trotta family set against the waning days of the Habsburg Empire. A neglected masterpiece, this translation captures the historical sweep, close observations and irony of the German original. (AST17, $16.95)
Return to Diversity: A Political History of East Central Europe Since World War II  •  Joseph Rothschild HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 338 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE An opinionated, well-written and clear political history of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania since WWII, completely revised for this third edition to reflect post-Soviet realities. (EUR31, $34.95)
Rick Steves' French, Italian & German Phrase Book & Dictionary  •  Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2003 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. French, German and Italian phrases are side-by-side on the page so that you can pick and choose depending on the situation. This is no dry litany but instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (EUR142, $9.95)
Rick Steves' Prague and The Czech Republic  •  Rick Steves GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 306 PAGES A personable, practical guide in the growing series by travel guru Rick Steves. (CZH79, $17.95)
Rough Guide Prague  •  Rob Humphreys  •  David Charap GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 348 PAGES A no-nonsense, opinionated travel guide to Prague aimed at independent-minded travelers. It includes maps, a good cultural and historical overview and a great bibliography. (CZH21, $18.99)
Rudolf II and Prague, The Court and the City  •  Jaroslava Hausenblasova  •  Eliska Fucikova  •  James M. Bradburne  •  Beket Bukovinska HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 784 PAGES Published in conjunction with a 1996 exhibition, this is an extensive survey of the art, music and science in Prague that was encouraged by the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II. This oversize book contains 1,500 illustrations, 250 of which are in color. (CZH20, $75.00)
Slovak Republic Map  •  Freytag & Berndt MAP A colorful, detailed map of Slovakia at a scale of 1:200,000. (CEU19, $12.95)
The Sons: The Judgement, the Stoker, the Metamorphosis, and Letter to His Father  •  Franz Kafka LITERATURE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES A trio of Kafka's well-known short tales of family tragedy, presented together (as he originally envisioned them) along with a letter to his father. (CEU18, $11.95)
Summer Meditations  •  Vaclav Havel  •  Paul Wilson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 180 PAGES The playwright-cum-statesman exhibits his intellectual and moral gravitas in this collection of thoughts on such topics as the responsibilities of independence, the moral foundation of society, and the future of the Czech Republic. (CZH33, $13.00)
Time Out Prague  •  Time Out GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES An up-to-date guide on what to do and where to go by the people who publish Time Out Magazine. (CZH70, $19.95)
Time's Magpie, A Walk in Prague  •  Myla Goldberg TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 140 PAGES A tour of Prague by the bestselling author of "Bee Season." A volume in the Crown Journeys series. (CZH58, $16.00)
To the Castle and Back  •  Vaclav Havel  •  Paul Wilson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2007 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES Published in Prague as Please Be Brief, the Czech president's memoirs, covering the period from 1988 to 2006, reflect his origins as playwrite and dissident. Rather than a formal chronology, he offers a series of vignettes, anecdotes, diary excerpts and memos. No technocrat, Havel had wanted to appoint Frank Zappa special envoy for culture, trade, and tourism on behalf of Czechoslovakia in the US. (CZH74, $15.95)
Travelers' Tales, A Woman's Europe  •  Marybeth Bond  •  Mary Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This entertaining collection depicts Europe through the eyes of a diverse group of women writers, including Frances Mayes, Jan Morris and Mary Morris. These humorous and well-written true stories capture the misadventures, discoveries and slices of life that the continent (and travel!) has to offer. (EUR160, $17.95)
The Trial, A New Translation Based on the Restored Text  •  Franz Kafka  •  Breon Mitchell LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 281 PAGES Kafka's chilling novel of an unjust trial in a totalitarian state, in which the defendant is never told who has charged him, or why. (CZH46, $13.50)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being  •  Milan Kundera LITERATURE •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 331 PAGES The 20th anniversary edition of Kundera's celebrated novel, praised for its meditations on the nature of men and women, and its portrayal of life in Prague under Communism. (CZH62, $23.95)
The Walker's Literary Companion  •  Robert Gilbert  •  Anne Wallace  •  Jeffrey Robinson ANTHOLOGY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 352 PAGES A diverse sampling of literature on the pleasures of walking, representing philosophers, naturalists, outcasts, athletes and intellectuals from Plato to Frank O'Hara. (WLK08, $24.00)
Walking  •  Henry David Thoreau REFERENCE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 92 PAGES You may want to carry this small volume in your daypack for inspiration. In it, Thoreau offers his meditations on the spiritual benefits of this most civilized form of travel. (WLK04, $9.95)
Western Czech Republic Map  •  Ravenstein Maps MAP A detailed map (scale 1:200,000) of the western part of the Czech Republic. Includes Prague. (CZH24, $12.95)
Where Prague Cityguide  •  Where Magazine GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES A sturdy pocket guide to city neighborhoods, hotels, shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, cultural events and other top sights, helpfully keyed to overview maps and featuring a detailed downtown PopOut map. (CZH77, $9.95)
Woman from Hamburg And Other True Stories  •  Hanna Krall  •  Madeline G. Levine BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A journalist from Warsaw born in 1937, Krall reveals the lives and strange trajectories of her compatriots in these stories, profiles and interviews of survivors of WWII. (PLD49, $14.95)
A World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance, Portrait of an Age  •  William Manchester HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 322 PAGES In this wide-ranging study, Manchester evokes in vivid detail the great figures and daily life of the 16th century, with information on Henry VIII, Magellan, Borgia, da Vinci and Martin Luther. This is his 18th book and Manchester knows how to tell a great story. It's divided into three sections: Renaissance, Reformation and Discovery. (EUR06, $15.99)
Yiddish Folktales  •  Beatrice Weinreich LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 413 PAGES A collection of 178 Yiddish tales, many just a paragraph or two, gathered from throughout Eastern Europe as part of a project by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in the 1920s and 30s. (CEU33, $18.00)