These witty and ironical short essays in the classic Czech genre known as feuilletons, or chronicles, show Ludvik Vaculik’s philosophy, honesty and humor. His work, in George Theiner’s stylish translation, will evoke a powerful response today from English-language readers wondering how to think clearly and keep their values in confusing times.

Author of the radical 2000 Words manifesto for writers during the Prague Spring of 1968, Ludvik Vaculik was banned from all official publishing after the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia during two decades until the fall of communism with the Velvet Revolution of 1989. However, as founding editor of the Padlock Editions of informally circulated typescripts, he was central to maintaining independent writing and ideas in the Czech language.

After the Velvet Revolution confirmed his importance as an independent thinker and cultural figure, Vaculik continued his refusal to subscribe to accepted conventions. ‘Democracy has made me a poor democrat’ he wrote of the new Czech age of consumer culture, media sound bites and public relations.