The first ever English collection of stories by Johannes Urzidil - a friend of Kafka and an unjustly overlooked writer.
"This miniature masterpiece and the other four stories come to us in one voice, that of an inexplicably overlooked Czech master who is only now finding an English-speaking audience. Credit is due to Pushkin Press for rediscovering Urzidil." — The National
"A deeply moving look into the mind and heart of a man trying to both preserve his memories of home and contend with the cruel political realities shaping it." — The Atlantic
"Not only a compelling read but also a valuable literary artifact." — Los Angeles Review of Books
"The last great troubadour of a long-lost Prague." — Max Brod
"A neat volume of five unusual, arresting short stories." — Country Life
"full of unexpected twists that leave you guessing." — The Lady
