Faulerová, Pech: New Prose

Pech has to date published the short story collections Napíšu Pavle (I’ll Write to Pavla) and Ohromně vtipná videa (Enormously Funny Videos). Their books are unsentimental and unvarnished, credible and dramatic. While Pech’s Cobainovi žáci (Cobain’s Pupils), issued by publishers Argo, speaks for hundreds or thousands of today’s post-beatniks and hipsters, Faulerová’s debut Lapače prachu (The Dust Catchers), published by Torst, features a purely individual testimony. Both writers’ protagonists are lost, each for a different reason. The first stumbles under the influence of the “blurry” age, wants to become a rock star and makes wisecracks in a druggy haze; the second withdraws from a dysfunctional family while still getting involved in interpersonal battles filled with traps and landmines. Both have problems with their own identity and are trying to find themselves. Pech’s hero is trying to get somewhere and following his dreams. Faulerová’s heroine has never thought anything of herself and vehemently resists any kind of inclusion.

Jáchym Topol will present and Kateřina Šedá will help launch the debut.