When an attack on capitalism and totalitarianism runs amok, the Syrovys attempt to remain in their apartment despite repeated attempts by their landlord to oust them

What Ownership's All About

Literature & Fiction

Polácek, Karel

Action & Adventure

Catbird Pr

A favorite work of Czech humor, We Were a Handful depicts the adventures of five boys from a small Czech town through the diary of Petr Bajza, the grocer’s son. Written by Karel Poláček at the height of World War II before his deportation to Auschwitz in 1944, this book draws on the happier years of Poláček’s own childhood as inspiration. As we look upon the world through Petr’s eyes, we, too, marvel at the incomprehensible world of grownups; join in fights between gangs of neighborhood kids; and laugh at the charming language of boys, a major source of the book’s humor. This translation at last offers English-language readers the opportunity to share in Petr’s (and Poláček’s) childhood and reminds us that joy and laughter are possible even in the darkest times.

We Were a Handful (Modern Czech Classics)

Humor & Satire

Karolinum Press, Charles University

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Books by Polácek, Karel