Josef Škvorecký (27 September, 1924 – 3 January, 2012) was an award-winning Czech-Canadian writer. Mr. Škvorecký’s books deal with repression, totalitarianism, jazz, and being a stranger in a strange land.
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Books by Josef Škvorecký*
Fun Facts about Josef Škvorecký:
- Josef Škvorecký was born in Náchod, Czechoslovakia, known today for its historic castle complex, which attracts many tourists.
- As a teen he fell in love with jazz and even played the saxophone. This experience was told in his novellaThe Bass Saxophone.
- During World War II Mr. Škvorecký worked as a slave for two years at a Messerchmitt aircraft factory.
- Škvorecký paved a path for himself and an educator. In 1951 he earned a doctorate in English Literature from Charles University in Prague and became an educator, editor, as well as a translating to Czech the works of such literary giants as Henry James, William Faulkner, and Ernest Hemingway.
- The author’s first novel, The Cowards (Zbabělci) was written in 1948, or thereabouts. The novel is set during the last days of World War II, was published in 1958, and was criticized for not writing about events in a more heroic light, as the Czech government saw it. He was not allowed to publish again until the 1960s.
- Together with his wife, author and actress Zdena Salivarová-Škvorecký, the author settled in Toronto, Canada in 1969.
- The couple founded Sixty-Eight Publishers, two years later. The publishing house kept alive Slovak and Czech literature during the Communist era.
- Danny Smiricky, a jazz-loving bohemian and Mark Twain admirer, was one of Mr. Škvorecký most beloved characters appearing in over ten novels. Danny offered a glimpse into his creator’s life by suffering the indignities of slave labor, political purges, Nazi factories, sensors, and false accusations.
- Josef Škvorecký was considered to be an expert on the Cthulhu Mythos and wrote prefaces to the novels of H.P. Lovecraft.
- Škvorecký also wrote for movies, TV, and radio. His monthly literary series for the Voice of America, running for 17 years starting in 1973, discussed and featured literary works and themes.
Zohar – Man of la Book
*Amazon links point to an affiliate account, the money is usually spent on books
Sources:
All’s Well That Ends Well: An interview with Josef Škvorecký | Central Europe Review
Josef Skvorecky, Czech-Born Writer Oppressed by Right and Left, Dies at 87 | New York Times Obituary
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Fun Facts Friday: Josef Škvorecký
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Josef Škvorecký (27 September, 1924 – 3 January, 2012) was an award-winning Czech-Canadian writer. Mr. Škvorecký’s books deal with repression, totalitarianism, jazz, and being a stranger in a strange land
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