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賲毓爻賰乇丕鬲 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳
兀丨乇賯 丕賱賯賱毓丞 賵賴乇亘.
賷乇賷丿 丕賱丌賳 丕賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賶 "亘乇丕噩" 亘兀賷 胤乇賷賯丞 賲賲賰賳丞貙 賵賲賳賴丕 廿賱賶 賲賷賳爻賰 毓丕氐賲丞 乇賵爻賷丕 丕賱亘賷囟丕亍.
賵購賱賽丿 賮賷 賯賱毓丞 "鬲賷乇賷夭賷賳" 賵丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 賲毓爻賰乇賸丕 賲賳 賲毓爻賰乇丕鬲 丕賱賳丕夭賷丞 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞. 賱賰賳貙 匕賱賰 丕賱賲丕囟賷 丕賱賲賱賷卅 亘丕賱賯鬲賱賶 賵丕賱鬲毓匕賷亘 賱丕 賷鬲乇賰賴 賮賷 丨丕賱賴貙 賷賱丕丨賯賴 賮賷 賰賱 賲賰丕賳 賵賷賴丿丿 爻賱丕賲賴 丕賱丿丕禺賱賷. 丕賱噩賲賷毓 賷賱丕丨賯賵賳賴.. 賷丐賲賳賵賳 亘兀賳賴 賷毓乇賮 賰賱 卮賷亍 毓賳 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲毓爻賰乇丕鬲 丕賱賳丕夭賷丞 賵賷毓乇賮 賰賱 卮賷亍 毓賳 丕賱賲賵鬲賶 丕賱賲丿賮賵賳賷賳 亘丕賱兀爻賮賱貙 賵丕賱兀禺胤乇 兀賳賴賲 賷馗賳賵賳 亘兀賳賴 賯丕丿乇 毓賱賶 廿禺乇丕噩賴賲 噩賲賷毓賸丕 賵賮囟丨 丕賱賳馗丕賲 丕賱賳丕夭賷 賵丕賱卮賷賵毓賷 亘噩乇丕卅賲賴賲 丕賱卮賳賷毓丞 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨乇亘.
賱賰賳貙 賴賵 廿賳爻丕賳 亘爻賷胤. 賰賱 賲丕 賷乇賷丿賴 賴賵 丕賱賳賵賲 毓賱賶 丕賱毓卮亘 鬲丨鬲 兀爻賵丕乇 賯賱毓丞 鬲賷乇賷夭賷賳 丕賱丨賲乇丕亍 賵乇毓賷 賲丕毓夭賴 賮賷 賴丿賵亍 廿賱賶 丕賱兀亘丿.
毓賳 丕賱賲丐賱賮:
賵購賱賽丿 "賷賵丕賯賷賲 鬲賵亘賵賱" 賮賷 亘乇丕噩 毓丕氐賲丞 丕賱鬲卮賷賰. 賰丕賳 賵丕賱丿賴 卮丕毓乇賸丕 賵賰丕鬲亘賸丕 賲爻乇丨賷賸丕 賵賲鬲乇噩賲賸丕 賱兀毓賲丕賱 卮賰爻亘賷乇貙 賵賵丕賱丿鬲賴 賴賷 丕亘賳丞 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 丕賱鬲卮賷賰賷 丕賱卮賴賷乇 "賰丕乇賷賱 卮賵賱鬲夭". 亘丿兀 "賷賵丕賯賷賲 鬲賵亘賵賱" 賲爻賷乇鬲賴 亘賰鬲丕亘丞 丕賱兀睾丕賳賷 賱賮乇賯丞 兀禺賷賴 "賮賷賱賷亘" 丕賱賲賵爻賷賯賷丞 賮賷 丕賱爻亘毓賷賳賷丕鬲 賵亘丿丕賷丕鬲 丕賱孬賲丕賳賷賳賷丕鬲. 賵賮賷 毓丕賲 1982貙 卮丕乇賰 賮賷 鬲兀爻賷爻 賲噩賱丞 "賮賷賵賱賷鬲"貙 賰賲丕 兀爻爻 賲噩賱丞 "乇賷賮賵賱賮乇 乇賷賮賷賵" 毓丕賲 1985 賵丕賱鬲賷 鬲禺氐氐鬲 賮賷 賳賯丿 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱鬲卮賷賰賷 丕賱丨丿賷孬 丕賱賲賲賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱賳卮乇 賲賳 賯亘賱 丕賱丿賵賱丞.
亘爻亘亘 賳卮丕胤丕鬲 兀亘賷賴 丕賱賲毓丕乇囟丞 賱賱丨賰賵賲丞貙 賲購賳賽毓 "鬲賵亘賵賱" 賲賳 丕賱丿乇丕爻丞 賮賷 丕賱噩丕賲毓丞. 賰賲丕 爻購噩賽賳 毓丿丞 賲乇丕鬲 亘爻亘亘 賲賯丕賱丕鬲賴 丕賱鬲賷 賷鬲丨丿孬 賮賷賴丕 毓賳 丌乇丕卅賴 賮賷 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱賲賲賳賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱賳卮乇貙 賵兀賷囟賸丕 亘爻亘亘 賴乇賵亘賴 毓亘乇 丕賱丨丿賵丿 丕賱亘賵賱賳丿賷丞 賲毓 兀毓囟丕亍 賲賳 丨乇賰丞 "丕賱鬲囟丕賲賳 丕賱亘賵賱賳丿賷". 賰賲丕 賰丕賳 兀丨丿 丕賱匕賷賳 賵賯毓賵丕 毓賱賶 賲賷孬丕賯 77 兀賵 Charter 77 賵賴賷 丨乇賰丞 賲賷丿丕賳賷丞 亘丿兀鬲 賮賷 丕賱鬲卮賷賰 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨賰賲 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷 賱賴丕貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 丕賴鬲賲鬲 亘丕賱賲賳丕丿丕丞 亘丨賯賵賯 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨賰賲 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷. 賰賲丕 賰鬲亘 禺賱丕賱 毓丕賲 1989 賱氐丨賷賮丞 Informa膷n铆 servis "廿賳賮賵乇賲丕鬲卮賷賳賷 爻賷乇賮賷爻" 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱賲禺賲賱賷丞 賵丕賱鬲賷 兀胤丕丨鬲 亘丕賱丨賰賵賲丞 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷丞 賮賷 丕賱鬲卮賷賰. 亘丿亍賸丕 賲賳 兀賰鬲賵亘乇 2009.
丨氐賱 毓丕賲 2010 毓賱賶 噩丕卅夭丞 "賷丕乇賵爻賱丕賮 爻賷賮乇賷鬲" 賵賴賷 噩丕卅夭丞 鬲卮賷賰賷丞 兀丿亘賷丞 鬲賲 鬲兀爻賷爻賴丕 賲賳 賯亘賱 丨乇賰丞 "賲賷丕賯 77". 賵丨氐賱 毓丕賲 2015 毓賱賶 噩丕卅夭丞 "賮賷賱賳爻賷丕" 賵賴賷 噩丕卅夭丞 爻賱賵賮賷賳賷丞 賵賷鬲賲 賲賳丨賴丕 賱兀賮囟賱 丕賱賰購鬲賻賾丕亘 賮賷 丿賵賱 兀賵乇賵亘丕 丕賱賵爻胤賶.
賷乇賷丿 丕賱丌賳 丕賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賶 "亘乇丕噩" 亘兀賷 胤乇賷賯丞 賲賲賰賳丞貙 賵賲賳賴丕 廿賱賶 賲賷賳爻賰 毓丕氐賲丞 乇賵爻賷丕 丕賱亘賷囟丕亍.
賵購賱賽丿 賮賷 賯賱毓丞 "鬲賷乇賷夭賷賳" 賵丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 賲毓爻賰乇賸丕 賲賳 賲毓爻賰乇丕鬲 丕賱賳丕夭賷丞 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞. 賱賰賳貙 匕賱賰 丕賱賲丕囟賷 丕賱賲賱賷卅 亘丕賱賯鬲賱賶 賵丕賱鬲毓匕賷亘 賱丕 賷鬲乇賰賴 賮賷 丨丕賱賴貙 賷賱丕丨賯賴 賮賷 賰賱 賲賰丕賳 賵賷賴丿丿 爻賱丕賲賴 丕賱丿丕禺賱賷. 丕賱噩賲賷毓 賷賱丕丨賯賵賳賴.. 賷丐賲賳賵賳 亘兀賳賴 賷毓乇賮 賰賱 卮賷亍 毓賳 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲毓爻賰乇丕鬲 丕賱賳丕夭賷丞 賵賷毓乇賮 賰賱 卮賷亍 毓賳 丕賱賲賵鬲賶 丕賱賲丿賮賵賳賷賳 亘丕賱兀爻賮賱貙 賵丕賱兀禺胤乇 兀賳賴賲 賷馗賳賵賳 亘兀賳賴 賯丕丿乇 毓賱賶 廿禺乇丕噩賴賲 噩賲賷毓賸丕 賵賮囟丨 丕賱賳馗丕賲 丕賱賳丕夭賷 賵丕賱卮賷賵毓賷 亘噩乇丕卅賲賴賲 丕賱卮賳賷毓丞 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨乇亘.
賱賰賳貙 賴賵 廿賳爻丕賳 亘爻賷胤. 賰賱 賲丕 賷乇賷丿賴 賴賵 丕賱賳賵賲 毓賱賶 丕賱毓卮亘 鬲丨鬲 兀爻賵丕乇 賯賱毓丞 鬲賷乇賷夭賷賳 丕賱丨賲乇丕亍 賵乇毓賷 賲丕毓夭賴 賮賷 賴丿賵亍 廿賱賶 丕賱兀亘丿.
毓賳 丕賱賲丐賱賮:
賵購賱賽丿 "賷賵丕賯賷賲 鬲賵亘賵賱" 賮賷 亘乇丕噩 毓丕氐賲丞 丕賱鬲卮賷賰. 賰丕賳 賵丕賱丿賴 卮丕毓乇賸丕 賵賰丕鬲亘賸丕 賲爻乇丨賷賸丕 賵賲鬲乇噩賲賸丕 賱兀毓賲丕賱 卮賰爻亘賷乇貙 賵賵丕賱丿鬲賴 賴賷 丕亘賳丞 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 丕賱鬲卮賷賰賷 丕賱卮賴賷乇 "賰丕乇賷賱 卮賵賱鬲夭". 亘丿兀 "賷賵丕賯賷賲 鬲賵亘賵賱" 賲爻賷乇鬲賴 亘賰鬲丕亘丞 丕賱兀睾丕賳賷 賱賮乇賯丞 兀禺賷賴 "賮賷賱賷亘" 丕賱賲賵爻賷賯賷丞 賮賷 丕賱爻亘毓賷賳賷丕鬲 賵亘丿丕賷丕鬲 丕賱孬賲丕賳賷賳賷丕鬲. 賵賮賷 毓丕賲 1982貙 卮丕乇賰 賮賷 鬲兀爻賷爻 賲噩賱丞 "賮賷賵賱賷鬲"貙 賰賲丕 兀爻爻 賲噩賱丞 "乇賷賮賵賱賮乇 乇賷賮賷賵" 毓丕賲 1985 賵丕賱鬲賷 鬲禺氐氐鬲 賮賷 賳賯丿 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱鬲卮賷賰賷 丕賱丨丿賷孬 丕賱賲賲賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱賳卮乇 賲賳 賯亘賱 丕賱丿賵賱丞.
亘爻亘亘 賳卮丕胤丕鬲 兀亘賷賴 丕賱賲毓丕乇囟丞 賱賱丨賰賵賲丞貙 賲購賳賽毓 "鬲賵亘賵賱" 賲賳 丕賱丿乇丕爻丞 賮賷 丕賱噩丕賲毓丞. 賰賲丕 爻購噩賽賳 毓丿丞 賲乇丕鬲 亘爻亘亘 賲賯丕賱丕鬲賴 丕賱鬲賷 賷鬲丨丿孬 賮賷賴丕 毓賳 丌乇丕卅賴 賮賷 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱賲賲賳賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱賳卮乇貙 賵兀賷囟賸丕 亘爻亘亘 賴乇賵亘賴 毓亘乇 丕賱丨丿賵丿 丕賱亘賵賱賳丿賷丞 賲毓 兀毓囟丕亍 賲賳 丨乇賰丞 "丕賱鬲囟丕賲賳 丕賱亘賵賱賳丿賷". 賰賲丕 賰丕賳 兀丨丿 丕賱匕賷賳 賵賯毓賵丕 毓賱賶 賲賷孬丕賯 77 兀賵 Charter 77 賵賴賷 丨乇賰丞 賲賷丿丕賳賷丞 亘丿兀鬲 賮賷 丕賱鬲卮賷賰 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨賰賲 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷 賱賴丕貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 丕賴鬲賲鬲 亘丕賱賲賳丕丿丕丞 亘丨賯賵賯 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨賰賲 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷. 賰賲丕 賰鬲亘 禺賱丕賱 毓丕賲 1989 賱氐丨賷賮丞 Informa膷n铆 servis "廿賳賮賵乇賲丕鬲卮賷賳賷 爻賷乇賮賷爻" 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱賲禺賲賱賷丞 賵丕賱鬲賷 兀胤丕丨鬲 亘丕賱丨賰賵賲丞 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷丞 賮賷 丕賱鬲卮賷賰. 亘丿亍賸丕 賲賳 兀賰鬲賵亘乇 2009.
丨氐賱 毓丕賲 2010 毓賱賶 噩丕卅夭丞 "賷丕乇賵爻賱丕賮 爻賷賮乇賷鬲" 賵賴賷 噩丕卅夭丞 鬲卮賷賰賷丞 兀丿亘賷丞 鬲賲 鬲兀爻賷爻賴丕 賲賳 賯亘賱 丨乇賰丞 "賲賷丕賯 77". 賵丨氐賱 毓丕賲 2015 毓賱賶 噩丕卅夭丞 "賮賷賱賳爻賷丕" 賵賴賷 噩丕卅夭丞 爻賱賵賮賷賳賷丞 賵賷鬲賲 賲賳丨賴丕 賱兀賮囟賱 丕賱賰購鬲賻賾丕亘 賮賷 丿賵賱 兀賵乇賵亘丕 丕賱賵爻胤賶.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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October 26, 2014
[4.5] A sick little satire about the touristification of former concentration camps, with a surprisingly British sense of black comedy loitering under the looming totalitarianism of Central European history (Czech Republic, Belarus). The first "project", in Terez铆n, often had a tone similar to lampoon of "edgy" new media startups. (Theresienstadt: If Franz Kafka hadn't died, they would have killed him here is the sort of souvenir t-shirt slogan you can see Nathan Barley coming up with.) And a Continental version of the patronising Gap Yah Sloane/hippy - with an interest in Eastern Europe not India - is much in evidence among volunteers who turn up for a campaign to save the site from demolition. The tone gets a little darker as some of the cast go east to Belarus (where I learn that Khatyn is not Katyn - a different place and was a different and bloodier massacre). One GR reviewer said it required a strong stomach, though - as someone who wouldn't consider watching the likes of The Human Centipede and gets the impression most other adults these days aren't bothered by such stuff - I'd say it was just typical of dark satire. Again it brought to mind Brooker / Orwell / Self minus the swallowed thesaurus.
It's dubious to judge a translation without understanding the original, but this one came across well: it sounded entirely natural yet free of the litfic cliches that some translators turn to. (And which some of us want to escape by reading foreign books.) The only disappointment was that a few names seem to have been changed to our spellings (Artur and Alexei would hardly be difficult to understand).
The ending is a bit of a cop-out; otherwise The Devil's Workshop made some good points via a very readable satire / adventure that was far from dreary or worthy. Many like to think [near-]genocidal discrimination is a thing of the past in Europe but the treatment of Roma people by the Czechs and their neighbours pops up briefly, and of course, obscure Belarus is very much an old-style dictatorship.
I also found the author's treatment of the narrator admirable: often in Eng-lang fiction, narrators who have a dark side are generally presented in the same old way as the covers slowly come off the wrongdoing and creepiness and a person, it seems, must be either morally damned or redeemed in the eyes of the readership. J谩chym Topol eschews that kind of well-worn black and white presentation. Having read recently that The Good Soldier Svejk is essentially the Czech national book, and that - according to a deliberately flippant source - many Czechs think of themselves as similar to Svejk, or of him as part of the national character, I wondered how this narrator's combination of apparent intellectual simplicity and expedient wiliness might compare. (A perennial frustration to reading lit from countries you don't know much about - cluelessness re. non-lookupable references.)
Whilst, in fairness, I did avoid Second World War related fiction for a long time and so my overview is rather outdated and patchy, The Devil's Workshop seems like an excellent antidote, in its present day setting, its black humour and its brevity, to the typical earnest historical novel about the 1940s.
It's dubious to judge a translation without understanding the original, but this one came across well: it sounded entirely natural yet free of the litfic cliches that some translators turn to. (And which some of us want to escape by reading foreign books.) The only disappointment was that a few names seem to have been changed to our spellings (Artur and Alexei would hardly be difficult to understand).
The ending is a bit of a cop-out; otherwise The Devil's Workshop made some good points via a very readable satire / adventure that was far from dreary or worthy. Many like to think [near-]genocidal discrimination is a thing of the past in Europe but the treatment of Roma people by the Czechs and their neighbours pops up briefly, and of course, obscure Belarus is very much an old-style dictatorship.
I also found the author's treatment of the narrator admirable: often in Eng-lang fiction, narrators who have a dark side are generally presented in the same old way as the covers slowly come off the wrongdoing and creepiness and a person, it seems, must be either morally damned or redeemed in the eyes of the readership. J谩chym Topol eschews that kind of well-worn black and white presentation. Having read recently that The Good Soldier Svejk is essentially the Czech national book, and that - according to a deliberately flippant source - many Czechs think of themselves as similar to Svejk, or of him as part of the national character, I wondered how this narrator's combination of apparent intellectual simplicity and expedient wiliness might compare. (A perennial frustration to reading lit from countries you don't know much about - cluelessness re. non-lookupable references.)
Whilst, in fairness, I did avoid Second World War related fiction for a long time and so my overview is rather outdated and patchy, The Devil's Workshop seems like an excellent antidote, in its present day setting, its black humour and its brevity, to the typical earnest historical novel about the 1940s.
November 22, 2024
Seda raamatut ma n盲en vist l盲hiajal oma isiklikus 枚枚kinos. J盲lle on LR avaldanud raamatu, mis l枚枚b lugeja t眉kkideks ja paiskab kuhugi, kust mugavustsoon enam isegi ei paista. Vaata ise, kuidas tagasi saad! Ait盲h!
November 23, 2017
It takes a bold writer to approach two examples of man's inhumanity to man with dark humour, but the author of this short book achieves this allowing the reader to feel uncomfortable as he confronts the greatest horrors of the twentieth century.
The book splits the story between Terezin in the Czech republic, a town which was the site of Nazi massacres and a Belarus town where the Russian army burned the inhabitants in their farm buildings. The unnamed narrator, born in a Nazi camp, as an adult ends up in prison after being accused of murdering his father. In prison he helps inmates to their execution before returning to Terezin as it faces bulldozing by the civic authorities. With his uncle he creates a campaign to save the town and the humour here is black as it satirises the disneyfication of the holocaust. He then moves to Belarus where he confronts a museum of the Russian genocide worthy of a hammer horror.
This was a short book but the ideas and images will remain long in my memory as it tackles an important idea, does the passing of time allow society to commercialize horror thus undermining it's significance and the necessity of keeping the story alive to future generations as a lesson never to forget.
The book splits the story between Terezin in the Czech republic, a town which was the site of Nazi massacres and a Belarus town where the Russian army burned the inhabitants in their farm buildings. The unnamed narrator, born in a Nazi camp, as an adult ends up in prison after being accused of murdering his father. In prison he helps inmates to their execution before returning to Terezin as it faces bulldozing by the civic authorities. With his uncle he creates a campaign to save the town and the humour here is black as it satirises the disneyfication of the holocaust. He then moves to Belarus where he confronts a museum of the Russian genocide worthy of a hammer horror.
This was a short book but the ideas and images will remain long in my memory as it tackles an important idea, does the passing of time allow society to commercialize horror thus undermining it's significance and the necessity of keeping the story alive to future generations as a lesson never to forget.
April 13, 2017
拧tve m臎, 啪e jsem si s touto kn铆啪kou d谩vala tak na 膷as. norm谩ln臎 bych ji toti啪 p艡e膷etla jedn铆m dechem. jen啪e jsem si na ni ten 膷as ud臎lat neum臎la. co啪 byla chyba, proto啪e bych si z n铆 odnesla daleko v铆c, ale m茅 hodnocen铆 to nijak neovlivn铆.
B臎lorusko. kolik toho o n臎m vlastn臎 v铆me. pokud si vzpomeneme alespo艌 na hlavn铆 m臎sto, jsme mach艡i.
pro膷 jsme nikdy o B臎lorusku nesly拧eli, kdy啪 tam byla zabita cel谩 膷tvrtina p艡edv谩le膷n茅 populace? co啪 je n臎jak媒ch 2 200 000 obyvatel. ned谩 v谩m to. rozjedete net a hled谩te, jak je mo啪n茅, 啪e v谩m tato informace unikla. nech谩pete. ale m臎sta jako Osv臎tim, Terez铆n, Mauthausen 膷i Dachau zn谩me v铆c ne啪 dob艡e.
ot谩zka toho, zda se m谩 vymazat ze sv臎ta ot艡esn谩 minulost a nebo zachovat jako varov谩n铆 pro dal拧铆 generace. autor na tuto ot谩zku odpov臎膹 nenal茅z谩. jak by taky mohl. ale nut铆 膷lov臎ka, se nad touto ot谩zkou minim谩ln臎 zamyslet.
je to 拧铆len茅, kdy啪 si vezmete, 啪e na m铆sta strachu a utrpen铆, kde denn臎 bylo zab铆jeno t铆s铆ce lid铆, se lid茅 vracej铆. vracej铆 se. chod铆 po p暖d臎 je拧t臎 nas谩kl茅 krv铆. ''kochaj铆 se''. berou to jako takovou atrakci. pojedeme na v媒let. hah.
a pak si 艡铆k谩te, jestli se sv臎t neposral. ano, ano. m臎lo by se to p艡ipom铆nat, no jist臎. ale mysl铆m si, 啪e ji啪 tolik toho bylo z t臎chto m铆st nato膷eno a 啪e tyto m铆sta n谩m nemaj铆, co d谩t. proto啪e jejich 煤kolem nebylo d谩vat, ale br谩t. br谩t a zbavovat se. ni膷it. t媒rat. poni啪ovat.
takov谩 m铆sta by tu zkr谩tka nem臎la ji啪 nikdy b媒t.
B臎lorusko. kolik toho o n臎m vlastn臎 v铆me. pokud si vzpomeneme alespo艌 na hlavn铆 m臎sto, jsme mach艡i.
pro膷 jsme nikdy o B臎lorusku nesly拧eli, kdy啪 tam byla zabita cel谩 膷tvrtina p艡edv谩le膷n茅 populace? co啪 je n臎jak媒ch 2 200 000 obyvatel. ned谩 v谩m to. rozjedete net a hled谩te, jak je mo啪n茅, 啪e v谩m tato informace unikla. nech谩pete. ale m臎sta jako Osv臎tim, Terez铆n, Mauthausen 膷i Dachau zn谩me v铆c ne啪 dob艡e.
ot谩zka toho, zda se m谩 vymazat ze sv臎ta ot艡esn谩 minulost a nebo zachovat jako varov谩n铆 pro dal拧铆 generace. autor na tuto ot谩zku odpov臎膹 nenal茅z谩. jak by taky mohl. ale nut铆 膷lov臎ka, se nad touto ot谩zkou minim谩ln臎 zamyslet.
je to 拧铆len茅, kdy啪 si vezmete, 啪e na m铆sta strachu a utrpen铆, kde denn臎 bylo zab铆jeno t铆s铆ce lid铆, se lid茅 vracej铆. vracej铆 se. chod铆 po p暖d臎 je拧t臎 nas谩kl茅 krv铆. ''kochaj铆 se''. berou to jako takovou atrakci. pojedeme na v媒let. hah.
a pak si 艡铆k谩te, jestli se sv臎t neposral. ano, ano. m臎lo by se to p艡ipom铆nat, no jist臎. ale mysl铆m si, 啪e ji啪 tolik toho bylo z t臎chto m铆st nato膷eno a 啪e tyto m铆sta n谩m nemaj铆, co d谩t. proto啪e jejich 煤kolem nebylo d谩vat, ale br谩t. br谩t a zbavovat se. ni膷it. t媒rat. poni啪ovat.
takov谩 m铆sta by tu zkr谩tka nem臎la ji啪 nikdy b媒t.
March 14, 2023
效械褏懈, 泻芯薪褑褌邪褉斜芯褉懈, 锌邪'屑褟褌褜 褨 斜褨谢芯褉褍褋懈.
携泻斜懈 褔懈褌邪谢邪 褑械 写芯 锌芯胁薪芯屑邪褋褕邪斜薪芯褩 胁褨泄薪懈, 褌芯 屑芯谐谢邪 斜 斜芯写邪泄 褋锌褨胁褔褍胁邪褌懈, 邪 褌邪泻, 胁懈斜邪褔褌械, 褍 薪邪褋 褌褍褌 褋胁褨泄 谐械薪芯褑懈写 胁 褉械卸懈屑褨 褉械邪谢褜薪芯谐芯 褔邪褋褍.
袧械蟹褉芯蟹褍屑褨谢芯 褌邪泻芯卸, 褔芯屑褍 褔懈 薪械 褦写懈薪懈泄 褍泻褉邪褩薪械褑褜, 褟泻懈泄 蟹'褟胁谢褟褦褌褜褋褟 胁 褌械泻褋褌褨, - 胁斜懈胁褑褟 褨 泻邪褌? 些芯 褑懈屑 褏芯褌褨褨胁 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜 邪胁褌芯褉, 锌械褉械锌褉褕褍褞 蟹邪 褌褉褞褩蟹屑, 邪谢械 薪械蟹褉芯蟹褍屑褨谢芯.
携泻斜懈 褔懈褌邪谢邪 褑械 写芯 锌芯胁薪芯屑邪褋褕邪斜薪芯褩 胁褨泄薪懈, 褌芯 屑芯谐谢邪 斜 斜芯写邪泄 褋锌褨胁褔褍胁邪褌懈, 邪 褌邪泻, 胁懈斜邪褔褌械, 褍 薪邪褋 褌褍褌 褋胁褨泄 谐械薪芯褑懈写 胁 褉械卸懈屑褨 褉械邪谢褜薪芯谐芯 褔邪褋褍.
袧械蟹褉芯蟹褍屑褨谢芯 褌邪泻芯卸, 褔芯屑褍 褔懈 薪械 褦写懈薪懈泄 褍泻褉邪褩薪械褑褜, 褟泻懈泄 蟹'褟胁谢褟褦褌褜褋褟 胁 褌械泻褋褌褨, - 胁斜懈胁褑褟 褨 泻邪褌? 些芯 褑懈屑 褏芯褌褨褨胁 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜 邪胁褌芯褉, 锌械褉械锌褉褕褍褞 蟹邪 褌褉褞褩蟹屑, 邪谢械 薪械蟹褉芯蟹褍屑褨谢芯.
October 4, 2015
Recently, a screencap from a Swedish high schooler's Facebook made the rounds on social media. It pictured her and her friends on a school trip to Auschwitz, dancing under the ARBEIT MACHT FREI sign, captioned with "Refuse to be PC, lol!"
In The Devil's Workshop, a young Swedish woman comes to Theresienstadt looking for her family history, winds up staying and masterminding the campaign to turn what's left of the city into a tourist attraction, complete with slogans like "If Franz Kafka had survived, they would have killed him here". Unlike the moronic brats in the example above, it's done for the best of reasons; to make sure this is remembered. She's horrified at the cavalier attitude towards atrocities in the so-called "East" (to which everyone, all the way to Vladivostok, responds "What do you mean, East? This is Central Europe!"). Concentration camps , goats grazing in the ruins of Theresienstadt, etc. In the West, we've learned to compartmentalize, to turn monuments into safe Never Again-Lands. In the parts of the world where millions died at their neighbours' hands, it all got hushed up by the next tyrant.
The fact that it's Theresienstadt - constructed by the Nazis as the "nice" face of concentration camps - is not coincidental. The fact that I, as a Swede, have spent much of the review talking about a minor character in the book probably isn't either. Our hero, of course, is the guy who grew up in what's left of the city, with a mother traumatized by literally being fished out of a pile of corpses and a father who represented the new oppressors. How do you make a memorial to something that's ongoing? Well, he's not sure, but there's always demand for it, especially with the likes of Lukashenko and Putin working for political points... Conscripting the dead to fight ideological battles for you has rarely not worked. Once we've picked the martyrs, we can point them at any villain we want. At the same time, we need to remember, don't we? How can we promise "never again" if we don't know what happened - how can we promise it if we define it as ONE event, safely stored away behind glass? If we only honour the dead, how do we rate the living?
The Devil's Workshop works partly exactly because it's a quick, picaresque romp, with a bleak sense of humour not miles away from Vonnegut or Hrabal. Our nameless hero is swept up in a story older and bigger than himself, one where nobody really has any say, but everyone tries to wrest control of the narrative to make it play along. Memory is a tricky beast, but so is The Devil's Workshop. That it works fine as a short, sharp companion piece to the equally excellent Museum of Abandoned Secrets doesn't hurt either.
As I write this, Europe is once again scuttling back towards the slogans and easy answers of the 30s, in many cases spearheaded by the very countries who grew up on rhetoric about the Soviet friends smashing fascism. Wasn't it a Czech who said "When you smash monuments, keep the pedestals - they'll come in handy"?
In The Devil's Workshop, a young Swedish woman comes to Theresienstadt looking for her family history, winds up staying and masterminding the campaign to turn what's left of the city into a tourist attraction, complete with slogans like "If Franz Kafka had survived, they would have killed him here". Unlike the moronic brats in the example above, it's done for the best of reasons; to make sure this is remembered. She's horrified at the cavalier attitude towards atrocities in the so-called "East" (to which everyone, all the way to Vladivostok, responds "What do you mean, East? This is Central Europe!"). Concentration camps , goats grazing in the ruins of Theresienstadt, etc. In the West, we've learned to compartmentalize, to turn monuments into safe Never Again-Lands. In the parts of the world where millions died at their neighbours' hands, it all got hushed up by the next tyrant.
The fact that it's Theresienstadt - constructed by the Nazis as the "nice" face of concentration camps - is not coincidental. The fact that I, as a Swede, have spent much of the review talking about a minor character in the book probably isn't either. Our hero, of course, is the guy who grew up in what's left of the city, with a mother traumatized by literally being fished out of a pile of corpses and a father who represented the new oppressors. How do you make a memorial to something that's ongoing? Well, he's not sure, but there's always demand for it, especially with the likes of Lukashenko and Putin working for political points... Conscripting the dead to fight ideological battles for you has rarely not worked. Once we've picked the martyrs, we can point them at any villain we want. At the same time, we need to remember, don't we? How can we promise "never again" if we don't know what happened - how can we promise it if we define it as ONE event, safely stored away behind glass? If we only honour the dead, how do we rate the living?
The Devil's Workshop works partly exactly because it's a quick, picaresque romp, with a bleak sense of humour not miles away from Vonnegut or Hrabal. Our nameless hero is swept up in a story older and bigger than himself, one where nobody really has any say, but everyone tries to wrest control of the narrative to make it play along. Memory is a tricky beast, but so is The Devil's Workshop. That it works fine as a short, sharp companion piece to the equally excellent Museum of Abandoned Secrets doesn't hurt either.
As I write this, Europe is once again scuttling back towards the slogans and easy answers of the 30s, in many cases spearheaded by the very countries who grew up on rhetoric about the Soviet friends smashing fascism. Wasn't it a Czech who said "When you smash monuments, keep the pedestals - they'll come in handy"?
October 12, 2017
A partir de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, se introdujo la propuesta de conservaci贸n de lugares del horror, como el campo de concentraci贸n de Auschwitz, que a su vez se convirtieron en sitios sagrados meta-religiosos, lugar de peregrinaje e indirectamente de una forma bizarra de turismo e ingreso de recursos.
La novela de Topol desarrolla una s谩tira c谩ustica de este fen贸meno parad贸jico de nuestro tiempo, llev谩ndolo a extremos absurdos y s贸rdidos.
La acci贸n se sit煤a en la primera parte en Terezin, cerca de Praga, para trasladarse en la segunda parte a las cercan铆as de Minsk, Belar煤s, el pa铆s del fr铆o.
La novela organiza muy bien a los personajes, y con un correcto e ir贸nico lenguaje juega hasta el l铆mite en su narraci贸n sat铆rica. Podr铆a haber sido m谩s efectiva integrando mejor las dos partes.
La novela de Topol desarrolla una s谩tira c谩ustica de este fen贸meno parad贸jico de nuestro tiempo, llev谩ndolo a extremos absurdos y s贸rdidos.
La acci贸n se sit煤a en la primera parte en Terezin, cerca de Praga, para trasladarse en la segunda parte a las cercan铆as de Minsk, Belar煤s, el pa铆s del fr铆o.
La novela organiza muy bien a los personajes, y con un correcto e ir贸nico lenguaje juega hasta el l铆mite en su narraci贸n sat铆rica. Podr铆a haber sido m谩s efectiva integrando mejor las dos partes.
October 21, 2015
O genocid臎 v B臎lorusku toho vim asi stejn臎 jako o 膷esk媒m zem臎pise. Topolova osv臎ta na m臎 proto p暖sobila stejn臎 osv臎啪uj铆c铆m dojmem jako Paliho informace, 啪e V铆tkovice a Ostrava jsou v铆ce m茅n臎 jedna a ta sam谩 v臎c.
P艡铆b臎h vypr谩v铆 pas谩膷ek koz z Terez铆na, kter媒 se specializuje na zvelebov谩n铆 poh艡ebi拧钮. K tomuto povol谩ni se samoz艡ejm臎 nedostal p艡es jobs.cz, ale oklikou. Jeliko啪 vyr暖stal n臎kdy po v谩lce v Terez铆n臎, tak nem臎l playstation 4 a musel si tak hr谩t venku. Z toho d暖vodu se motal po zru拧en媒m koncentr谩ku, kterej je拧t臎 neslou啪il jako pam臎tn铆 m铆sto, ale jako opu拧t臎nej koncentr谩k. V m铆st臎 kde um铆rali lidi, si tak hr谩li kluci na schov谩vanou.听
Postupem 膷asu p艡i拧ly chytr媒 hlavy na to, 啪e se na lidsk媒m utrpen铆 d谩 dost vyd臎lat a za膷ali t谩bor zvelebovat a propagovat, aby ho dostali na turisitickou mapu Evropy. Toto se jim da艡ilo velmi dob艡e a pas谩膷ek koz se jim staral o IT.听
Spojen铆 se zd谩 podivuhodn茅, ale nen铆, proto啪e v mlad铆 sed臎l v base za n臎jak媒 kundoviny. V tu dobu byl v 膶eskoslovensku je拧t臎 trest smrti a n臎kdo musel odsouzen茅 vodit na k艡eslo. Tato 膷innost byla d艡铆ve velmi neobl铆ben谩 a pas谩膷ek koz, byl jeden z mal谩, kter媒 to zvl谩dal, ani啪 by se u toho zeblil nebo zesral. Kdy啪 pak byl trest smrti zru拧en, pas谩膷ka se ka啪dej b谩l z pov臎r膷ivosti a on tak nem臎l co d臎lat a kamar谩dil se d谩l s bacha艡em, kter媒 se staral o veden铆 statistiky mrtv媒ch. Ten taky nem臎l co d臎lat a tak u膷il pas谩膷ka zach谩zet s po膷铆ta膷em.
Proto teda IT. Podobn臎 se mimochodem k IT dostal i m暖j kamar谩d Libor. Vyprav臎膷ovo hlavn铆 煤kol je zad谩v谩n铆 kontakt暖 do tabulek, o ostatn铆 z谩le啪itosti se staraj铆 ostatn铆. Mezi ostatn铆 se 艡ad铆 dobrodru啪n谩 ml谩de啪, kter谩 poch谩z锟斤拷 z cel媒 Evropy a sna啪铆 se j铆t po stop谩ch sv媒ch babi膷ek a d臎de膷k暖. Pomalu tak vznik谩 komunita, kter媒 se poda艡铆 z Terez铆na ud臎lat, to co je z n臎j te膹.
Mezi dobrovoln铆kama je i Alex a Maru拧ka, ze kter媒ch se vyklubou p臎kn媒 svin臎. Unesou toti啪 vyprav臎膷e do B臎loruska, kde se ho sna啪铆 naverbovat na podobnej projekt a vyu啪it tak jeho kontakt暖, kter媒 sebou nos铆 na fle拧ce, aby dostali v铆c turist暖 do B臎loruska a vyd臎lali tak na 拧铆lenostech, kter媒 se d臎ly v Chatyni.听
Zaj铆mav媒 na tom cel媒m je, 啪e celej sv臎t zn谩 Osv臎tim, Terez铆n, Dachau a Cristiana Ronalda, ale historii B臎loruska, kde b臎hem druhy sv臎tov媒 vymlatili skoro polovinu obyvatelstva, jsem se ve 拧kole neu膷il. Vyvra啪膹ov谩n铆 se 煤膷astnili nejen N臎mci, ale i Rusov茅. Div铆m se, 啪e v Laskavych bohyn铆ch o tom nebyla ani zm铆nka.
9/10
P艡铆b臎h vypr谩v铆 pas谩膷ek koz z Terez铆na, kter媒 se specializuje na zvelebov谩n铆 poh艡ebi拧钮. K tomuto povol谩ni se samoz艡ejm臎 nedostal p艡es jobs.cz, ale oklikou. Jeliko啪 vyr暖stal n臎kdy po v谩lce v Terez铆n臎, tak nem臎l playstation 4 a musel si tak hr谩t venku. Z toho d暖vodu se motal po zru拧en媒m koncentr谩ku, kterej je拧t臎 neslou啪il jako pam臎tn铆 m铆sto, ale jako opu拧t臎nej koncentr谩k. V m铆st臎 kde um铆rali lidi, si tak hr谩li kluci na schov谩vanou.听
Postupem 膷asu p艡i拧ly chytr媒 hlavy na to, 啪e se na lidsk媒m utrpen铆 d谩 dost vyd臎lat a za膷ali t谩bor zvelebovat a propagovat, aby ho dostali na turisitickou mapu Evropy. Toto se jim da艡ilo velmi dob艡e a pas谩膷ek koz se jim staral o IT.听
Spojen铆 se zd谩 podivuhodn茅, ale nen铆, proto啪e v mlad铆 sed臎l v base za n臎jak媒 kundoviny. V tu dobu byl v 膶eskoslovensku je拧t臎 trest smrti a n臎kdo musel odsouzen茅 vodit na k艡eslo. Tato 膷innost byla d艡铆ve velmi neobl铆ben谩 a pas谩膷ek koz, byl jeden z mal谩, kter媒 to zvl谩dal, ani啪 by se u toho zeblil nebo zesral. Kdy啪 pak byl trest smrti zru拧en, pas谩膷ka se ka啪dej b谩l z pov臎r膷ivosti a on tak nem臎l co d臎lat a kamar谩dil se d谩l s bacha艡em, kter媒 se staral o veden铆 statistiky mrtv媒ch. Ten taky nem臎l co d臎lat a tak u膷il pas谩膷ka zach谩zet s po膷铆ta膷em.
Proto teda IT. Podobn臎 se mimochodem k IT dostal i m暖j kamar谩d Libor. Vyprav臎膷ovo hlavn铆 煤kol je zad谩v谩n铆 kontakt暖 do tabulek, o ostatn铆 z谩le啪itosti se staraj铆 ostatn铆. Mezi ostatn铆 se 艡ad铆 dobrodru啪n谩 ml谩de啪, kter谩 poch谩z锟斤拷 z cel媒 Evropy a sna啪铆 se j铆t po stop谩ch sv媒ch babi膷ek a d臎de膷k暖. Pomalu tak vznik谩 komunita, kter媒 se poda艡铆 z Terez铆na ud臎lat, to co je z n臎j te膹.
Mezi dobrovoln铆kama je i Alex a Maru拧ka, ze kter媒ch se vyklubou p臎kn媒 svin臎. Unesou toti啪 vyprav臎膷e do B臎loruska, kde se ho sna啪铆 naverbovat na podobnej projekt a vyu啪it tak jeho kontakt暖, kter媒 sebou nos铆 na fle拧ce, aby dostali v铆c turist暖 do B臎loruska a vyd臎lali tak na 拧铆lenostech, kter媒 se d臎ly v Chatyni.听
Zaj铆mav媒 na tom cel媒m je, 啪e celej sv臎t zn谩 Osv臎tim, Terez铆n, Dachau a Cristiana Ronalda, ale historii B臎loruska, kde b臎hem druhy sv臎tov媒 vymlatili skoro polovinu obyvatelstva, jsem se ve 拧kole neu膷il. Vyvra啪膹ov谩n铆 se 煤膷astnili nejen N臎mci, ale i Rusov茅. Div铆m se, 啪e v Laskavych bohyn铆ch o tom nebyla ani zm铆nka.
9/10
October 22, 2013
This was an interesting read to say the least. I think I'm going to write an essay on it so I'll probably come back and write a full review later. It's pretty disturbing and horrific near the end, so I wouldn't recommend it for the fainthearted among you, but it definitely brought up some interesting issues, particularly in its satirization of dark tourism and how we, as a community, remember the Holocaust. I'm particularly interested in the role of satire itself in memory and what it is able, and perhaps freer to do, than perhaps other genres, so yeah I'll definitely be coming back to this one.
April 18, 2015
This novel by Czech writer J谩chym Topol is a dark satire which asks troubling questions on what we should remember and what we should forget.
The unnamed narrator grows up in Terez铆n, a town which houses a Medieval fortress and a former Nazi prison. His father is a military bandsman, his mother a survivor of the prison, as are most of the people of the town. The narrator grows up, in a mockery of a pastoral idyll, herding goats on the fortifications, scrabbling in underground tunnels for Nazi memorabilia and failing to live up to his father鈥檚 ambitions before he is forced to leave.
Years later he returns to Terez铆n. The army has left and the authorities no longer want to maintain the town. His 鈥渦ncle鈥�, Lebo, born in the Nazi prison, is determined that nothing should be lost. They begin a protest movement which draws international attention 鈥� and lucrative opportunities as they sell souvenir T-shirts and accommodate visitors and obtain funding from philanthropists worldwide. Then political upheaval means the narrator has to leave for Belarus where the book takes a darker turn.
The narrator has a sly naivety. He recounts events as he experiences them, stripped of context. This can make it difficult at times to follow events. There is an afterword by the translator which fills in some of the gaps but I think he was right to put it at the end. It means that like the narrator, the reader experiences conflict and instability as most people do when they are at the heart of them 鈥搒eeing details, specifics, without a coherent narrative, which is only imposed later, and somehow make whatever occurred seem inevitable.
The narrator has no sense of history, only of a home. He accepts the world as he finds it and makes the best of the opportunities he sees. In contrast, Terez铆n attracts what he calls the 鈥渂unk seekers鈥�. They are distinct from the casual sightseers who take photos and walk the heritage trail. They are western descendants of Holocaust survivors who believe they have a personal interest in the town鈥檚 story. They look for meaning in the prison camp, something to give them an identity.
The book鈥檚 humour lies in the way it overturns assumptions. Sara, a bunk seeker from Sweden, berates the narrator. She, not he, is the one that truly suffers the legacy of Terez铆n. His complexes only arise because of what he鈥檚 lived through. Hers are a product of her unique personality.
The simple language of the book contrasts with the complexity of the ideas as the story turns in on itself. How is the past commodified, and for whose benefit? If you don鈥檛 know your history, does it still shape you? Does it even make sense to call it "yours"?
This book is dark, unsettling and raises lots of questions. It also resolutely refuses to provide any answers.
-
This review first appeared on TNBBC's book blog
The unnamed narrator grows up in Terez铆n, a town which houses a Medieval fortress and a former Nazi prison. His father is a military bandsman, his mother a survivor of the prison, as are most of the people of the town. The narrator grows up, in a mockery of a pastoral idyll, herding goats on the fortifications, scrabbling in underground tunnels for Nazi memorabilia and failing to live up to his father鈥檚 ambitions before he is forced to leave.
Years later he returns to Terez铆n. The army has left and the authorities no longer want to maintain the town. His 鈥渦ncle鈥�, Lebo, born in the Nazi prison, is determined that nothing should be lost. They begin a protest movement which draws international attention 鈥� and lucrative opportunities as they sell souvenir T-shirts and accommodate visitors and obtain funding from philanthropists worldwide. Then political upheaval means the narrator has to leave for Belarus where the book takes a darker turn.
The narrator has a sly naivety. He recounts events as he experiences them, stripped of context. This can make it difficult at times to follow events. There is an afterword by the translator which fills in some of the gaps but I think he was right to put it at the end. It means that like the narrator, the reader experiences conflict and instability as most people do when they are at the heart of them 鈥搒eeing details, specifics, without a coherent narrative, which is only imposed later, and somehow make whatever occurred seem inevitable.
The narrator has no sense of history, only of a home. He accepts the world as he finds it and makes the best of the opportunities he sees. In contrast, Terez铆n attracts what he calls the 鈥渂unk seekers鈥�. They are distinct from the casual sightseers who take photos and walk the heritage trail. They are western descendants of Holocaust survivors who believe they have a personal interest in the town鈥檚 story. They look for meaning in the prison camp, something to give them an identity.
The book鈥檚 humour lies in the way it overturns assumptions. Sara, a bunk seeker from Sweden, berates the narrator. She, not he, is the one that truly suffers the legacy of Terez铆n. His complexes only arise because of what he鈥檚 lived through. Hers are a product of her unique personality.
The simple language of the book contrasts with the complexity of the ideas as the story turns in on itself. How is the past commodified, and for whose benefit? If you don鈥檛 know your history, does it still shape you? Does it even make sense to call it "yours"?
This book is dark, unsettling and raises lots of questions. It also resolutely refuses to provide any answers.
-
This review first appeared on TNBBC's book blog
May 28, 2023
L'idea di base sarebbe molto interessante, ma lo stile mi 猫 risultato illeggibile.
Tutto in prima persona, si capisce quello che succede solo a sprazzi.
Lo chiamano erede di Hrabal, avrei dovuto prevederlo che andava a finire cos矛 visto che anche per Hrabal avevo avuto le stesse difficolt脿.
Tutto in prima persona, si capisce quello che succede solo a sprazzi.
Lo chiamano erede di Hrabal, avrei dovuto prevederlo che andava a finire cos矛 visto che anche per Hrabal avevo avuto le stesse difficolt脿.
August 18, 2020
Belarus (then Byelorussia) suffered the worst devastation of any country during the war in terms of a percentage of its population. Over a quarter of its population, 2,290,000 people, died during the conflict. The population was 9.5 million in 1941, and 5.2 million in 1945. 66% of all Jews in the country, over a million, were amongst those dead.
J谩chym Topol's The Devil鈥檚 Workshop, is a darkly comic way of relating the horrors of the past to the present in the country. Topol is Czech, and his unnamed narrator has been partly responsible for a project that turned the crumbling town of Terez铆n, the site of a ghetto and concentration camp during the Second World War, into a tourist attraction; its guided tours, and merchandise including Kafka Tshirts and 'ghetto pizzas'. Madonna was amongst those who funded its regeneration.
In the second half of the novel, the narrator finds himself in Belarus unexpectedly commissioned to repeat his success of marketing Terez铆n with another memorial site, Khatyn. On 22 March 1943 a battalion formed of Ukrainian collaborators and a Waffen-SS special battalion, murdered the entire population of the town, 149 people, including 75 children.
This is the mid-2000s, the country is ravaged by Lukashenko's dictatorship. It receives around 5,000 overseas tourists a year only.
Topol took over 20 years to write this short novel. There is a clear frustration amongst his characters directed at the ignorance of the West towards Eastern Europe; as if the country had been forgotten. It serves as a reminder as to how historical memory of atrocity and its meaning are formed at a time when we are becoming another generation removed.
Lubashenko's mentions sit uneasily, especially with him in power eleven years on, and how this is only now headlines for the world's press.
He includes a piece from Slavomir Adamovich, legendary poet and social activist, who was detained subsequent to its publication for in effect 3 years (he now lives in Norway)..(a snippet)..
J谩chym Topol's The Devil鈥檚 Workshop, is a darkly comic way of relating the horrors of the past to the present in the country. Topol is Czech, and his unnamed narrator has been partly responsible for a project that turned the crumbling town of Terez铆n, the site of a ghetto and concentration camp during the Second World War, into a tourist attraction; its guided tours, and merchandise including Kafka Tshirts and 'ghetto pizzas'. Madonna was amongst those who funded its regeneration.
In the second half of the novel, the narrator finds himself in Belarus unexpectedly commissioned to repeat his success of marketing Terez铆n with another memorial site, Khatyn. On 22 March 1943 a battalion formed of Ukrainian collaborators and a Waffen-SS special battalion, murdered the entire population of the town, 149 people, including 75 children.
It鈥檚 going to be the most famous memorial site in the world. The devil had his workshop here in Belarus. The deepest graves are in Belarus. But nobody knows about them..
This is the mid-2000s, the country is ravaged by Lukashenko's dictatorship. It receives around 5,000 overseas tourists a year only.
鈥淕uess who had the most casualties during the war? We did! Guess who had the most people murdered under communism? We did. And guess who still has people disappearing, eh? We do! That鈥檚 the division of labour in the globalized world of today, damnit! Thailand: sex. Italy: paintings and seaside. Holland: clogs and cheese. Right? And Belarus? Horror trip, right?.
Topol took over 20 years to write this short novel. There is a clear frustration amongst his characters directed at the ignorance of the West towards Eastern Europe; as if the country had been forgotten. It serves as a reminder as to how historical memory of atrocity and its meaning are formed at a time when we are becoming another generation removed.
Lubashenko's mentions sit uneasily, especially with him in power eleven years on, and how this is only now headlines for the world's press.
He includes a piece from Slavomir Adamovich, legendary poet and social activist, who was detained subsequent to its publication for in effect 3 years (he now lives in Norway)..(a snippet)..
Kill the President!
Axe him, shoot him
Chop off his accursed head
Murder the son of a bitch!
January 28, 2022
Zaj铆mav谩 pov铆dka z prost艡ed铆 Terez铆na a n谩sledn臎 i Ukrajiny. Jsou zde zm铆n臎ny n臎kter茅 historick茅 ud谩losti, na n臎啪 je naroubov谩n zaj铆mav媒 fik膷n铆 d臎j. 膶ten铆 knihy m臎 bavilo.
May 18, 2019
You know how a really dark, bitter hallucinogenic satire can reveal something deep and moving? Well, sometimes it can also just be dark and bitter and hallucinogenic.
June 21, 2015
Spicuiri din recenzia finala care se gaseste
March 31, 2019
"Hladnom zemljom" (izdava膷 "Tre膰i Trg", prevod Tihana Hamovi膰)
Da li oni koji zagovaraju zaborav 啪ele uspostavljanje novih odnosa, ili samo 啪ele da se zata拧ka uloga nekog naroda, neke klase, neke li膷nosti ili porodice u strahotama koje su minule? I da li oni koji zagovaraju neprekidno izlaganje u啪asa istorije o膷ima sada拧njosti nastoje da 鈥瀐rane pam膰enje sveta鈥� da 啪rtve ne bi bile uzaludne, i da nas istorija zaista ne膷emu nau膷i, ili je njihov cilj odr啪avanje neprijateljstava, stalno podsticanje nacionalne mr啪nje radi lak拧e manipulacije masom, kao i skretanja pa啪nje na 鈥瀞poljne neprijatelje鈥� da bi se neadekvatni politi膷ko-ekonomski odnosi odr啪avali na snazi? Nije li, na taj na膷in, i jednima i drugima, glavni motiv kojim se rukovode zloupotrebljavaju膰i se膰anje i zaborav, zapravo novac?
Takva pitanja postavlja roman 膷e拧kog pisca Jahima Topola: Hladnom zemljom, koji je objavio Tre膰i Trg u prevodu Tihane Hamovi膰. Ve膰 u epigramu nalazimo stih: 鈥濭le imam tu膽e o啪iljke, odakle mi?鈥� Dorote Maslovske, i on nam nedvosmisleno odgovara na pitanje o mogu膰em potpunom zaboravu i po膷etku iznova. Svuda oko nas, a mo啪da i u genetskom materijalu koji su nam preneli prethodni nara拧taji porobljenih ili porobljiva膷a, upisano je se膰anje na zlo, svest o tome 拧ta ljudi 膷ine jedni drugima. Oprosti mi, Bo啪e, i ja sam 膷ovek. I ja sam ubica. 艩ta me razlikuje od onog koji je pucao? On je imao pu拧ku, imao je nare膽enje, imao je viziju da brani neku ideju ili poredak, ili da se za novi bori. Pre svega, pripadao je onima koji su sa istim ciljem i oru啪jem krenuli ka nekom cilju. Sada je mo啪da ve膰 nemogu膰e prona膰i grad kojim nisu prolazile vojske, razli膷ite vojske, me膽usobno suprotstavljene, stotine hiljada vojnika, sa muzikom, paradama, konjima, tenkovima, ranjenicima, zarobljenicima. Mo啪da je dovoljno zagrebati zemlju u blizini bilo kojeg grada, pa 膰e se ispod nekog sloja zemlje, negde bli啪e povr拧ini, a negde dublje, pojaviti kosti. Masovne grobnice u kojima zajedno po膷ivaju siroma拧ni i bogati, pripadnici razli膷itih nacija, deca i odrasli, doju膷era拧nji prijatelji i saborci, i doju膷era拧nji krvni neprijatelji. Ironijom sudbine pome拧ani.
Radnja romana zapo膷inje u Terezinu, gradu koji jedna mala grupa 啪itelja poku拧ava da sa膷uva, ne samo kao spomenik, ve膰 kao mesto u kome je jo拧 mogu膰 啪ivot. Pretvaranjem u Spomenik, se膰anje i istorija se predaju u ruke 鈥瀗au膷nicima鈥� i vlastodr拧cima. Jo拧 postoje o膷evici, 啪itelji, koji 啪ele da sa膷uvaju grad, ali i do拧ljaci, 鈥瀟raga膷i za le啪ajevima鈥� u kojima su umrli ili mu膷eni njihovi ro膽aci. Traga膷i dolaze u Terezin da i sami budu izle膷eni od 鈥瀟u膽ih o啪iljaka鈥�. Onda kad to mesto postaje svetski poznato, kad po膷inje da donosi novac, skre膰e pa啪nju i privla膷i sve ve膰i broj ljudi, stvari se menjaju... Neosporno je da pored onih koji manipuli拧u istorijom, njenom istinom, dokazima, objektima koji je potvr膽uju, postoje i oni koji bez unapred zadatog cilja 啪ele da sa膷uvaju ne拧to smisleno od ru拧enja i prekrajanja, makar zato 拧to je to deo njihove li膷ne istorije i 啪ivota. Mo啪da se takvim pristupom vi拧e mo啪e uticati na univerzalnu svetsku istorijsku scenu nego 拧to verujemo.
No, borba protiv kvara i smrti, u novijoj istoriji kao nikad pre, izgleda kao izgubljena bitka. Dok nam prvi deo romana daje nadu u mogu膰nost isceljenja tu膽ih o啪iljaka, u jednom svetu koji pristaje da pamti, ali i da upozorava bez tra啪enja odmazde (鈥濪a je Kafka pre啪iveo svoju smrt, ubili bi ga ovde.鈥�),; drugi deo romana prikazuje nam situaciju u Belorusiji: demonstracije, totalitarizam, policijsku diktaturu, preki sud i masovne grobnice u kojima se, sloj po sloj, otkriva i nekada拧nja i novija istorija Istoka. Zastra拧uje 膷injenica da ne 膷itamo o pro拧losti, 膷itamo o doga膽ajima koji su se desili pre deset, ili manje od deset godina. Znamo na osnovu doga膽aja koji su tu, na na拧em poluostrvu, da se grobnice i istorijska pitanja neprestano ponovo pronalaze i otvaraju, i da se pitanje o tome ko je u tim grobnicama, ko je ubica a ko 啪rtva, jo拧 uvek nije re拧ilo. Autor nas upoznaje sa podacima koji ne figuriraju svakodnevno u svesti dana拧njeg 膷oveka (osim ako ne pripada nekoj od naj膷e拧膰e pogo膽enih nacija, a verovatno 膷ak ni tad), podacima o razlici u broju poginulih u Drugom svetskom ratu u razli膷itim zemljama, broju spaljenih sela, gradovima koji su poru拧eni pa ponovo gra膽eni. Postajemo svesniji 膷injenice da nije svejedno koji deo sveta zovemo svojim domom: biti ro膽en na Istoku je usud koji sve svoje stanovnike pretvara u traga膷e za le啪ajevima.
Op拧irnije u tekstu
Da li oni koji zagovaraju zaborav 啪ele uspostavljanje novih odnosa, ili samo 啪ele da se zata拧ka uloga nekog naroda, neke klase, neke li膷nosti ili porodice u strahotama koje su minule? I da li oni koji zagovaraju neprekidno izlaganje u啪asa istorije o膷ima sada拧njosti nastoje da 鈥瀐rane pam膰enje sveta鈥� da 啪rtve ne bi bile uzaludne, i da nas istorija zaista ne膷emu nau膷i, ili je njihov cilj odr啪avanje neprijateljstava, stalno podsticanje nacionalne mr啪nje radi lak拧e manipulacije masom, kao i skretanja pa啪nje na 鈥瀞poljne neprijatelje鈥� da bi se neadekvatni politi膷ko-ekonomski odnosi odr啪avali na snazi? Nije li, na taj na膷in, i jednima i drugima, glavni motiv kojim se rukovode zloupotrebljavaju膰i se膰anje i zaborav, zapravo novac?
Takva pitanja postavlja roman 膷e拧kog pisca Jahima Topola: Hladnom zemljom, koji je objavio Tre膰i Trg u prevodu Tihane Hamovi膰. Ve膰 u epigramu nalazimo stih: 鈥濭le imam tu膽e o啪iljke, odakle mi?鈥� Dorote Maslovske, i on nam nedvosmisleno odgovara na pitanje o mogu膰em potpunom zaboravu i po膷etku iznova. Svuda oko nas, a mo啪da i u genetskom materijalu koji su nam preneli prethodni nara拧taji porobljenih ili porobljiva膷a, upisano je se膰anje na zlo, svest o tome 拧ta ljudi 膷ine jedni drugima. Oprosti mi, Bo啪e, i ja sam 膷ovek. I ja sam ubica. 艩ta me razlikuje od onog koji je pucao? On je imao pu拧ku, imao je nare膽enje, imao je viziju da brani neku ideju ili poredak, ili da se za novi bori. Pre svega, pripadao je onima koji su sa istim ciljem i oru啪jem krenuli ka nekom cilju. Sada je mo啪da ve膰 nemogu膰e prona膰i grad kojim nisu prolazile vojske, razli膷ite vojske, me膽usobno suprotstavljene, stotine hiljada vojnika, sa muzikom, paradama, konjima, tenkovima, ranjenicima, zarobljenicima. Mo啪da je dovoljno zagrebati zemlju u blizini bilo kojeg grada, pa 膰e se ispod nekog sloja zemlje, negde bli啪e povr拧ini, a negde dublje, pojaviti kosti. Masovne grobnice u kojima zajedno po膷ivaju siroma拧ni i bogati, pripadnici razli膷itih nacija, deca i odrasli, doju膷era拧nji prijatelji i saborci, i doju膷era拧nji krvni neprijatelji. Ironijom sudbine pome拧ani.
Radnja romana zapo膷inje u Terezinu, gradu koji jedna mala grupa 啪itelja poku拧ava da sa膷uva, ne samo kao spomenik, ve膰 kao mesto u kome je jo拧 mogu膰 啪ivot. Pretvaranjem u Spomenik, se膰anje i istorija se predaju u ruke 鈥瀗au膷nicima鈥� i vlastodr拧cima. Jo拧 postoje o膷evici, 啪itelji, koji 啪ele da sa膷uvaju grad, ali i do拧ljaci, 鈥瀟raga膷i za le啪ajevima鈥� u kojima su umrli ili mu膷eni njihovi ro膽aci. Traga膷i dolaze u Terezin da i sami budu izle膷eni od 鈥瀟u膽ih o啪iljaka鈥�. Onda kad to mesto postaje svetski poznato, kad po膷inje da donosi novac, skre膰e pa啪nju i privla膷i sve ve膰i broj ljudi, stvari se menjaju... Neosporno je da pored onih koji manipuli拧u istorijom, njenom istinom, dokazima, objektima koji je potvr膽uju, postoje i oni koji bez unapred zadatog cilja 啪ele da sa膷uvaju ne拧to smisleno od ru拧enja i prekrajanja, makar zato 拧to je to deo njihove li膷ne istorije i 啪ivota. Mo啪da se takvim pristupom vi拧e mo啪e uticati na univerzalnu svetsku istorijsku scenu nego 拧to verujemo.
No, borba protiv kvara i smrti, u novijoj istoriji kao nikad pre, izgleda kao izgubljena bitka. Dok nam prvi deo romana daje nadu u mogu膰nost isceljenja tu膽ih o啪iljaka, u jednom svetu koji pristaje da pamti, ali i da upozorava bez tra啪enja odmazde (鈥濪a je Kafka pre啪iveo svoju smrt, ubili bi ga ovde.鈥�),; drugi deo romana prikazuje nam situaciju u Belorusiji: demonstracije, totalitarizam, policijsku diktaturu, preki sud i masovne grobnice u kojima se, sloj po sloj, otkriva i nekada拧nja i novija istorija Istoka. Zastra拧uje 膷injenica da ne 膷itamo o pro拧losti, 膷itamo o doga膽ajima koji su se desili pre deset, ili manje od deset godina. Znamo na osnovu doga膽aja koji su tu, na na拧em poluostrvu, da se grobnice i istorijska pitanja neprestano ponovo pronalaze i otvaraju, i da se pitanje o tome ko je u tim grobnicama, ko je ubica a ko 啪rtva, jo拧 uvek nije re拧ilo. Autor nas upoznaje sa podacima koji ne figuriraju svakodnevno u svesti dana拧njeg 膷oveka (osim ako ne pripada nekoj od naj膷e拧膰e pogo膽enih nacija, a verovatno 膷ak ni tad), podacima o razlici u broju poginulih u Drugom svetskom ratu u razli膷itim zemljama, broju spaljenih sela, gradovima koji su poru拧eni pa ponovo gra膽eni. Postajemo svesniji 膷injenice da nije svejedno koji deo sveta zovemo svojim domom: biti ro膽en na Istoku je usud koji sve svoje stanovnike pretvara u traga膷e za le啪ajevima.
Op拧irnije u tekstu
December 3, 2024
The main questions of this book is really important: should we bury or worship the past? Even the general gist of the novel about theme-parking the horrors of the past is a great and even bold idea. I don't have much against the black humour of it all either (although it is kind of bland most of the time). But overall the book feels like somebody locked themselves into a hotel room with a typewriter on a Friday and emerged on Monday after a weekend of heavy drinking with a pile of pages. And don't get me started about the overuse of the ellipsis or the contrived ending of the book!
The love story aspect, which the author seems to highlight, feels like fantasies of a fourteen-year-old and the almost non-stop action is on the level of a first treatment for a derivative Bond flick (although this might be explained through the simple-minded protagonist). Overall, there is an idea for a book hidden in here somewhere, and the idea is indeed great, but the execution is severely lacking.
Because it is a short and quick read you should still maybe pick it up, though.
The love story aspect, which the author seems to highlight, feels like fantasies of a fourteen-year-old and the almost non-stop action is on the level of a first treatment for a derivative Bond flick (although this might be explained through the simple-minded protagonist). Overall, there is an idea for a book hidden in here somewhere, and the idea is indeed great, but the execution is severely lacking.
Because it is a short and quick read you should still maybe pick it up, though.
January 24, 2021
2.5/5
Prva polovica romana (koja se odvija u fiktivnoj verziji 膷e拧kog grada-utvrde Terezinu) je dosta spora i predvidiva, druga polovica (u Bjelorusiji) je br啪a, morbidnija, lu膽a, Topol vas taman narajca i onda paf - gotovo.
Osim sjajno izvedenog satiri膷nog prikaza turizma koji se vrti oko gadosti 膷ovje膷anstva kao 拧to su holokaust i genocidi i jedno dva poglavlja koja su ovaj roman mogli usmjeriti u sjajan horor roman, osje膰am da mi ni拧ta drugo ne膰e ostati u dobrom sje膰anju.
Sve u svemu, dobri kratki ko拧mar od kojeg 膰e mi ostati samo par nevjerojatnih slika.
Prva polovica romana (koja se odvija u fiktivnoj verziji 膷e拧kog grada-utvrde Terezinu) je dosta spora i predvidiva, druga polovica (u Bjelorusiji) je br啪a, morbidnija, lu膽a, Topol vas taman narajca i onda paf - gotovo.
Osim sjajno izvedenog satiri膷nog prikaza turizma koji se vrti oko gadosti 膷ovje膷anstva kao 拧to su holokaust i genocidi i jedno dva poglavlja koja su ovaj roman mogli usmjeriti u sjajan horor roman, osje膰am da mi ni拧ta drugo ne膰e ostati u dobrom sje膰anju.
Sve u svemu, dobri kratki ko拧mar od kojeg 膰e mi ostati samo par nevjerojatnih slika.
January 10, 2023
The book was a gift and I didn't know anything about it when I picked it up. In case you wanna read it definitely check TWs as it speaks as about Devil's workshops aka death camps in Belarus and the Czech Republic. And obviously it's very political.
Gosh I loved this book. Literary book about Belarus (by non-Belarusian autor btw) with great villain who has a point even if his methods are cruel to say the least? Give me two. 馃槏
Definitely gonna reread this one.
Gosh I loved this book. Literary book about Belarus (by non-Belarusian autor btw) with great villain who has a point even if his methods are cruel to say the least? Give me two. 馃槏
Definitely gonna reread this one.
February 16, 2022
Wow. Black, barbed and horrific. A novel that confronts you with just how much darkness there is in human history to know
July 20, 2018
not that pleasing of a writing style but interesting story
July 7, 2013
Couldn't decide whether to give it a 4 or 5. The hesitation stems from the book not being deliciously wonderful or entrancing. It was bracing, and perhaps some of the praises of its power of language and literary know-how were dimmed just-a-little-bit in translation. Also, I misplaced the book about half-way through, so my reading was interrupted. But I give it a 5 because it quickly leaves one pondering important, indefinable questions whose dust need be kicked up and whirled around from time-to-time. Foolishness and failures of articulation overwhelm, but nonetheless I copy the words I wrote to the friend who gave this to me:
Finished it late the other night, and can't stop thinking about it. I picked it up because it was described as acerbic and darkly comic (alas, I only ever want to be amused) but, in retrospect, Rourke's operative words were "startling...and deeply, deeply moving." It's left me in an introspective, musing space as my thoughts ping-pong around different aspects of memory, the relationship between memory-history-charisma-identity(-ies)-entertainment.
I hadn't known about the massacres of the Belarussians. I'm not surprised. I keep thinking of my sister's ex-husband, a Ukrainian (now American) telling me several times that millions (6? 9?, I forget) of Ukrainians were murdered in WWII. It's really hard to comprehend the scope of what went on then. We read in the newspapers of a train wreck or an airline crash, even a mass murder at a school or planes toppling the World Trade Center Towers, and the numbers of people lost in such tragedies are so relatively insignificant. I'm not even sure why I just said that.
Anyhow, on the inside cover, the question is asked "at what point do we consign the past to history." I don't think we do or should. I'm not sure whether we can or can't. I think as humans we have to wrestle eternally and constantly with what I'll call the problems of "God," humanity, righteousness, and the "evil inclination." And the way history, religion, and even spirituality are filtered through charismatic personalities (be they politicians, Popes, preachers, priests, rabbis or some others) and the human need to follow and be herded. And to obsess, process, relinquish, deny, ignore, enjoy, wonder, and celebrate.
This is all so convoluted. Which takes me back to my reluctance to try and "crystallize" my thoughts on the book. I can't or shouldn't, but I do thank you from the bottom of m'heart for sending me this book.
Incoherently yours,
Sheri
xox
Finished it late the other night, and can't stop thinking about it. I picked it up because it was described as acerbic and darkly comic (alas, I only ever want to be amused) but, in retrospect, Rourke's operative words were "startling...and deeply, deeply moving." It's left me in an introspective, musing space as my thoughts ping-pong around different aspects of memory, the relationship between memory-history-charisma-identity(-ies)-entertainment.
I hadn't known about the massacres of the Belarussians. I'm not surprised. I keep thinking of my sister's ex-husband, a Ukrainian (now American) telling me several times that millions (6? 9?, I forget) of Ukrainians were murdered in WWII. It's really hard to comprehend the scope of what went on then. We read in the newspapers of a train wreck or an airline crash, even a mass murder at a school or planes toppling the World Trade Center Towers, and the numbers of people lost in such tragedies are so relatively insignificant. I'm not even sure why I just said that.
Anyhow, on the inside cover, the question is asked "at what point do we consign the past to history." I don't think we do or should. I'm not sure whether we can or can't. I think as humans we have to wrestle eternally and constantly with what I'll call the problems of "God," humanity, righteousness, and the "evil inclination." And the way history, religion, and even spirituality are filtered through charismatic personalities (be they politicians, Popes, preachers, priests, rabbis or some others) and the human need to follow and be herded. And to obsess, process, relinquish, deny, ignore, enjoy, wonder, and celebrate.
This is all so convoluted. Which takes me back to my reluctance to try and "crystallize" my thoughts on the book. I can't or shouldn't, but I do thank you from the bottom of m'heart for sending me this book.
Incoherently yours,
Sheri
xox
October 13, 2013
This excellent novella is divided into two parts. The first part, which takes place in postwar Ter茅zin, where the Germans had created a 鈥渕odel鈥� Jewish ghetto, is fantastic. The narrator's voice, and the world of this nearly abandoned and jeopardized town, which Topol so imaginatively creates, are incredible. Everything works.
The second half, which takes place in and near Minsk, Belarus, didn鈥檛 work nearly as well for me (it will be others' favorite part). It has the frantic form of the second half of a contemporary spy thriller, but it鈥檚 not pop fiction. It鈥檚 still Topolesque, which means intriguing in unusual ways. And it has the same voice as the first part.
Those who have enjoyed this team鈥檚 (which my house published) will find some of the same elements in a pared-down form. It鈥檚 a much easier read. The translation is so good, it won the British PEN Award for Translation this year.
Reviews, interviews, and lots of other information about the novella and the places and events portrayed in it can be found .
The second half, which takes place in and near Minsk, Belarus, didn鈥檛 work nearly as well for me (it will be others' favorite part). It has the frantic form of the second half of a contemporary spy thriller, but it鈥檚 not pop fiction. It鈥檚 still Topolesque, which means intriguing in unusual ways. And it has the same voice as the first part.
Those who have enjoyed this team鈥檚 (which my house published) will find some of the same elements in a pared-down form. It鈥檚 a much easier read. The translation is so good, it won the British PEN Award for Translation this year.
Reviews, interviews, and lots of other information about the novella and the places and events portrayed in it can be found .
June 10, 2013
My review of this (with mentions of a couple of Topol's other works) is available at The Quarterly Conversation:
January 8, 2020
賲毓爻賰乇丕鬲 卮賷胤丕賳 乇賵丕賷丞 賲賳 丕賱鬲卮賷賰 鬲鬲賳丕賵賱 乇賵丕爻亘 囟丨丕賷丕 丕賱賳丕夭賷丞 賵 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷丞 賮賷 丕賱鬲卮賷賰 賵 亘賷賱丕乇賵爻賷丕 賮賷 爻賷丕賯 丕丿亘賷 噩賲賷賱 賲賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賷丕禺賷賲 鬲賵亘賵賱
匕賰乇賷丕鬲 囟丨丕賷丕 丕賱丨乇亘 毓賳丿賳丕 鬲賳鬲賯賱 賱賱兀丨賮丕丿 賵 丕賱丕亘賳丕亍 鬲賰賵賳 氐毓亘丞
乇賵丕賷丞 鬲爻鬲丨賯 孬賱丕孬 賳噩賵賲
匕賰乇賷丕鬲 囟丨丕賷丕 丕賱丨乇亘 毓賳丿賳丕 鬲賳鬲賯賱 賱賱兀丨賮丕丿 賵 丕賱丕亘賳丕亍 鬲賰賵賳 氐毓亘丞
乇賵丕賷丞 鬲爻鬲丨賯 孬賱丕孬 賳噩賵賲
March 10, 2013
A topic that isn't to be taken lightly, ruined by confusing style, boring characters and meandering plot. The only upside - it's just 120 pages.
March 22, 2014
The writing is so simple and I really did enjoy the book.
February 2, 2016
"Kad sazna拧 kolika je strahota uop膰e mogu膰a i ta ti se spoznaja smjesti u mozgu, onda si druk膷iji od ostalih. To ostane u tebi. Kao nezacjeljiva rana."
January 5, 2022
A dark and comical perspective of tourism in the aftermath of the concentration camps. It was interesting. Worth reading and sharing.
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