Magic Prague - Softcover

Angelo-maria-ripellino

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0330337793 ISBN 13: 9780330337793

Publisher: Picador, 1995

Synopsis

Attempting to go beyond the tourist cliche of Prague as the "golden city", this book seeks to bring out all the mystery, ambiguity, gloom, lethargy and hidden fascination of the city on the Vltava. Rippellino slips into the style of melodrama and ghost stories, blending fact and fiction as he writes of the time of Rudolf II, the alchemists, the Jewish quarter, the Golem, the pubs, Meyrink and Zech Dadaists, and of Hasak and Kafka. During his tour through the city, Rippellino pauses to point out not only the splendours of the Gothic and Baroque, but highlights the refuse of the junk sellers, the flea market remains, the crumbling relics, which are equally important to understand the city's history. This book aims to be much more than a literary and cultural history of Prague: it is both a celebration and requiem for an oppressed culture.

About this title

About the Author

Angelo Maria Ripellino (1923-1978) was for many years Professor of Russian Language and Lecturer in Czech Language and Literature at the University of Rome.

From Library Journal

Although Prague is renowned for its beauty and is conveniently located in the center of Europe, fascism and communism have kept it off most American tourist itineraries for more than half a century. Capitalism is quickly returning it to every tourist's list. Levine, an American who lived in Prague while writing this guidebook, includes detailed information on transportation, accommodations, eating, shopping, and entertainment, plus interesting (and sometimes useful) cultural anecdotes and historical facts. Although the focus is on Prague, 15 day trips outside the city are also described; the book could serve as a guide to the new Czech Republic as well as to its capital. Following the "Maverick Guide" philosophy, Levine's writing style is colloquial and more opinionated than that of some other travel series. Highly recommended. In contrast, Ripellino, formerly of the University of Rome, presents a blend of history, art, literary criticism, and fantasy designed to relate not just facts about the city on the Vltava but to explore its essence as well. Ripellino's writing is dense and discursive, which may initially confuse readers, especially those without much prior knowledge of Czech history and culture. The bewildering array of names and places begins on page 1. To complicate matters further, some of these people and places may not exist, since the book has a fictional element. Recommended for academic libraries with a particular interest in Central European history and Slavic studies.
- Mary C. Kalfatovic, Telesec Lib. Svcs., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Picador
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0330337793
• ISBN 13: 9780330337793
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 333