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The Hot Summer of 1968, A Novel

$19.95

In the spring of 1968, the Czechoslovakian Communist Party introduced “socialism with a human face”—known as “Prague Spring.” Suddenly the citizens of Czechoslovakia enjoyed the freedom of the Press, an end to arbitrary wiretaps, and the right to travel without prior authorizations and visas. Their borders opened to the West, consumer goods appeared in the stores, and the winds of freedom blew over the country. These reforms were not well received by the Soviet Union. After failed negotiations, suddenly in late August, the USSR sent half a million Warsaw Pact troops and tanks to occupy Czechoslovakia and put an end to this brief experiment. Every citizen had to make a choice: leave or stay? Thousands of Slovaks fearing retribution fled their homeland—some escaped to Vienna—only an hour away by train, others fled farther afield to England, Israel, South America, Canada and the United States.

With a humanism and with a talent for constructing his novel on real testimonies, Slovakia’s foremost writer and playwright, Viliam Klimáček, focuses his novel on characters whose lives were irrevocably affected by both Prague Spring and the Soviet invasion. Vividly retelling their stories,  Klimáček reveals how these political events changed their lives and futures forever. By fleeing totalitarianism and repression, they all made the decision to leave their homeland and depart on the perilous journey seeking refuge and freedom in new countries. Some saw their families torn apart; others lost all their possessions or were dispossessed. And, like all immigrants, on arriving at  their destinations they had to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. What were their challenges? How successful or happy were they? Would they ever be able to return or reconnect with their families in their homeland? They all now became part of a growing Slovak diaspora in the modern world.

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SKU: 9781942134718 Category: Tag: Product ID: 262

Description

About the Author

Viliam Klimáček graduated from Bratislava University’s Faculty of Medicine. Co-founding the alternative theatre GUnaGU in 1985, he has been its actor, director, and playwright. In the mid-1990s he gave up medical practice, devoting himself entirely to the theatre and writing. His most successful books include the novels Naďa má čas (Naďa is Not in a Hurry, 2002), Námestie kozmonautov (2007) and especially Bratislava 68 : Été brûlant (Horúce leto 68/The Hot Summer of 68, 2011).

About the Translator

Peter Petro currently an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Central, Eastern, and Northern European Studies at the University of British Columbia, was born in Slovakia. He earned his B.A. (1970) and a M.A.(1972) in Russian literature at the University of British Columbia and his Ph.D. in comparative literature (1978) at the University of Alberta. He is the author of several books including a translation of the prize-winning novel by Milan Simecka, The Year of the Frog.

Reviews

“This historical novel is both heartbreaking and hopeful as it shares the stories of families displaced by the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia….It is tactful and humorous about bringing to life the calamitous experiences of the Slovakian people during the fall of communism.” Foreword Reviews Magazine — Aimee Jodoin ― Foreword Reviews Magazine

“This is a loving portrait of Slovak families whose hopes are first raised by the Prague Spring and then dashed by the Soviet invasion in summer 1968. Viliam Klimáček captures the anger and humiliation, the bravery and betrayal – not to mention the distinctive styles and aromas – of late-60s Czechoslovakia. It is also a tale of exile, about painful decisions to stay or leave, and the awkward adjustments that greeted new arrivals to Canada, the United States and Israel.” ―James Thomson, The Slovak Spectator — James Thomson, Journalist ― Newspaper

“In 1968, the communist country of Czechoslovakia had a brief fling with freedom. Termed the “Prague Spring,” the experiment in “socialism with a human face” allowed citizens freedom of the press and travel, as well as an end to arbitrary wiretapping. It all came crashing down when Soviet tanks bulldozed over its borders on August 20-21 and occupied the country. Before the Soviets clamped shut the border with Austria, many individuals and families had a terrible decision to make: flee or face the oppressor?

Translated into English for the first time, The Hot Summer of 1968 follows the stories of ten people confronted with the unthinkable. Klimáček introduces a cast of characters that are based on real people and their experiences …. Klimáček captures the early promises of the Prague Spring and the devastation wrought by the Soviet invasion through these bigger-than-life characters….

The Hot Summer of 1968 is a touching story of families involuntarily separated and the search for home wherever it leads. It provides a pertinent historical lens to the plight of refugees: yesterday, today, and always.” — Peggy Kurkowski ― Historical Novel Society Review, August 2021

“Klimacek’s The Hot Summer of 1968 is a compelling must-read! This faced-paced, engaging novel delves into the repercussions of dramatic, revolutionary times in world history on a series of personable characters…. this novel offers thought-provoking insight for our contemporary times.”—Madelaine Hron, author of Translating Pain: Immigrant Suffering in Literature and Culture — Professor Madelaine Hron

Co-published with Dryad Press 

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