Eastern and Central Europe Literary Companion

Before undergoing a major tour of central Europe in 1998, I used this text, edited by the renowned Czech specialist, James Naughton, as an adjunct to study up on these areas. It provides a much-needed supplement to the usual sightseeing guidebooks out there, especially if one has a literary bent like myself. I toured with one of the major travel agencies; we hit all of the expected tourist sites but with the "downtime" provided during any touring excursion, I went ahead and hit the "literary sites." This book inspired me to hunt down the Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature in Old Town Warsaw which contains manuscripts, mementos, and portraits, particularly from the romantic era. The guidebook also inspired me to sample a coffee and pastry at the famous Jama Michalikowa coffeehouse on Florianska Street in Krakow, "the gathering place for early 20c writers & poets" and reportedly a favorite hangout of the late Jerzy Kosinski when he would visit his native Poland. Inbetween gazing at the architectural gems of Prague, I was able to visit Kafka's birthplace and his gravesite (and leave a note under a stone--the touristy thing to do at Kafka's grave). In preparation for an upcoming trip to Slovakia, I have already devoured the chapter on Slovakia, written by Mr. Naughton himself. Thanks to his diligence in the section entitled "Literary Landmarks," I've plotted out an entire literary itinerary to visit, including the birthplaces and/or memorials of Slovak writers like Timrava, Krasko, Kollar and Bernolak. As a student of Slovak culture and literature, I also found Naughton's list of Slovak literature translated into English an invaluable resource. Other countries included in the book are Hungary, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria and the lands of the former Yugoslavia. Short author bio's/photo's and condensed literary samplings from various authors are a nice touch as well.