Czech Books for a Summer Reading II – A Fresh Guide for Learners of Czech
Summer is the perfect season to relax with a good book – and if you’re learning Czech, it’s also a chance to dive into stories that bring the language to life. This list offers another carefully balanced selection of Czech literature, featuring both male and female authors, and covering classics, post-war works, and contemporary novels. Each recommendation includes a short summary, why it’s worth your time, and what language elements you can focus on while reading.
Whether you’re looking for a love story in a rural setting, a humorous coming-of-age tale, or a deeply psychological novel, you’ll find something here to enrich both your vocabulary and your cultural understanding.
Classic Period
1. Karolina Světlá – Kříž u potoka (1868)
Plot &
Topics: Romantic drama set in a remote mountain village, where Evička’s love
for a man from a rival family defies old feuds and community traditions. The
cross by the brook becomes a lasting symbol of love, sacrifice, and
reconciliation.
Why Read It: Světlá paints detailed pictures of rural landscapes,
customs, and strong-willed women.
Czech Focus: Nature vocabulary, rural expressions, and complex
19th-century sentence structures.
2. Jaroslav Hašek – Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka (1921–1923)
Plot &
Topics: The comic adventures of soldier Josef Švejk during WWI, filled with
absurd situations, witty banter, and endless anecdotes. Is he a fool or a
master of irony? The reader decides.
Why Read It: A pillar of Czech humor, rich in idiomatic and colloquial
expressions.
Czech Focus: Informal language, idioms, and playful manipulation of
meaning.
Late 20th Century (1945–1989)
3. Vlasta Javořická – Víla z Drahova (1968)
Plot &
Topics: In a quiet village, a young woman’s choices are shaped by love, family
expectations, and local traditions. The “fairy” of Drahov embodies innocence,
beauty, and moral strength.
Why Read It: Gentle romantic storytelling that’s highly readable and
culturally rich.
Czech Focus: Relationship-related vocabulary, nature descriptions, and
seasonal expressions.
4. Ladislav Fuks – Spalovač mrtvol (1967)
Plot &
Topics: A Prague crematorium worker, Karel Kopfrkingl, seems polite and
refined, but gradually reveals disturbing depths to his personality. A chilling
psychological descent.
Why Read It: Expertly crafted atmosphere and psychological depth.
Czech Focus: Metaphorical language, mood-setting adjectives, and
formal/informal speech contrasts.
Contemporary Period
5. Alena Mornštajnová – Hana (2017)
Plot &
Topics: In 1950s Czechoslovakia, young Mira’s life changes after meeting her
enigmatic Aunt Hana. Spanning generations, the novel explores family bonds and
the weight of past decisions.
Why Read It: Clear prose, layered storytelling, and emotional impact.
Czech Focus: Dialogue comprehension, family vocabulary, and shifts in
time.
6. Jana Poncarová – Eugenie (2020)
Plot &
Topics: Based on a real figure, Eugenie’s story blends ambition, love, and
resilience against the backdrop of 20th-century Czech history.
Why Read It: Rich character development and strong sense of place.
Czech Focus: Character descriptions, historical references, and changing
narrative perspectives.
7. Petr Šabach – Občanský průkaz (2006)
Plot &
Topics: Four teenage friends navigate love, mischief, and everyday life in the
1970s, blending humor with nostalgia.
Why Read It: Short, humorous chapters perfect for casual reading.
Czech Focus: Slang, informal dialogue, and idiomatic expressions.
8. Jiří Kratochvil – Medvědí román (1990)
Plot &
Topics: A playful, postmodern tale where reality blurs with fantasy and a bear
becomes central to the narrative.
Why Read It: Inventive language and a literary challenge for advanced
learners.
Czech Focus: Figurative language, literary devices, and symbolic
imagery.
9. Emil Hakl – O rodičích a dětech (2002)
Plot &
Topics: A father and son spend a day walking through Prague, talking about
life, love, and shared memories.
Why Read It: Entirely built on dialogue, offering a close-up view of
natural Czech speech.
Czech Focus: Conversational flow, interjections, and modern idioms.
Final Thoughts
Reading Czech books isn’t just about building vocabulary – it’s about experiencing the rhythm, humor, and emotion of the language in its natural habitat. This selection covers everything from rural romances to urban banter, giving you a broad taste of Czech literary voices.
Martin OLS Community Manager - Czech