A World Apart and Other Stories

A World Apart brings together translations of eight stories by Czech women from the turn of the twentieth centurya period of female political emancipation and impressive literary development in Czechoslovakia. Though theyre little known to an English-language public today, all of the writers featured in the book were recognized in their own day and constitute a cross-section of the literary styles of the period. Anna Maria Tilschovs A Sad Time is written in a naturalist style, while Rena Jesensks A World Apart presents themes and motifs that appealed to the Decadents. Helena Malovs The Sylph is both diaristic and satirical, whereas Rena Svobodovs ironical A Great Passion, with its rural setting and folklore motifs, calls to mind the writings of Karel Jaromr Erben. Gabriela Preissovs short story Eva may be read as a celebration of folk culture, and Boena Beneovs Friends is interesting for its psychological presentation of a childs point of view and its implicit criticism of anti-Semitism. The book is accompanied by the biographies of each author and an introduction by editor and translator Kathleen Hayes.