Hidden History by: Brezina, Otokar; Bulkin, Carleton (Transl.)
Hardcover. Prague, Twisted Spoon Press, 1st, 1997, Book: Very Good, Dust Jacket: Very Good, Hardcover in a lightly soiled dust jacket, 150 pages. B&w frontis. The works of the Czech Symbolist Otokar Brezina (1868-1929), a writer twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, influenced an entire generation of artists in Bohemia and Moravia. Hidden History (published posthumously in 1935) is one of the most important works of 20th century Czech prose and represents the apotheosis of Brezina's endeavors in the essay form. In this finely crafted collection, he discusses the role of art as a vanguard of developments in science and as a force for social change. These essays also contribute to an understanding of Brezina's poetry, for which he is better known. They comprise the most systematic exposition of his aesthetic creed, which served to inspire the Czech writers and literary critics who followed in his footsteps. This edition is the first complete English translation of any complete volume of Brezina's work. Afterword by Petr Holman. Light foxing, no markings.