Gottland

Winner of the European Book Prize, Gottland is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the history of modern Europe- a history of foreign occupation, a tussle between East and West and the extraordinary bravery of individual citizens living through these times. Gottland is a kaleidoscopic portrait of Czechoslovakia, a nation living through extreme events. Kafka's niece, the sculptor who made the world's biggest statue of Stalin, Karel Gott, winner of the Most Favourite Male Singer Award a record thirty-six times, and the Bata brothers and their shoe empire all gather in this landmark history written by a celebrated Polish journalist, a Czechophile, and one of the best-known members of the Polish school of reportage. Through meticulous research and hundreds of interviews, Szczygiel creates a compelling portrait of the country that brought us Franz Kafka, Milan Kundera and Tom Stoppard. He is uniquely qualified to create this portrait of Czechoslovakia and its people in those