Prague: A Cultural History

by Richard D.E. Burton

Located at the very center of Europe, Prague has been on the frontline of international political, intellectual, religious, and cultural conflicts for more than six centuries. Invaded and occupied by the Habsburgs, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Nazis, and then Communist Russia, the city’s identity is shaped by a long experience of foreign domination and a strong sense of martyrdom. A treasure house of Gothic, baroque, and modernist architecture, Prague is also a city of icons and statues, saints and signs reveal a turbulent history of religious and cultural conflict. As Kafka’s nightmare city and home of the Good Soldier _vejk, the Czech capital also produced two of the twentieth century’s emblematic writers. Richard Burton explores this metropolis of theatrical allusion, in which politics and drama have always been intertwined. His interpretation of the city’s cultural past and present encompasses opera and rock music, puppetry and cinema, surrealism and socialist realism. Looking at Prague’s world-famous landmarks and lesser-known sites, his reading of the city through its writing and iconography is both perceptive and challenging. • The city of artists and The Castle and Kafka, Ha_ek and Kundera; music from Smetana to the Plastic People of the Universe; modernism and cubism; political theater and the playwright-president Václav Havel • The city of tyranny and Jan Hus and anti-Catholic revolt; subjugation and the rise of Czech nationalism; Germans, Czechs and Jews; "Prague Spring" 1968, Charter 77 and the "Velvet Revolution" of November 1989 • The city of magic, murder, and Medieval alchemy and astrology; the myth of the Golem, the ghetto and anti-Semitism; living puppets, robots, and a tradition of defenestration.

Genres: History, Travel, Czech Literature, Nonfiction, Art

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Richard D. E. Burton (d.2008) was Professor of French and Francophone Studies at the University of Sussex, UK.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First things first, to this press and the acquirer of this series: Fire your copyeditor and your QA person (if you actually have one--there's no evidence for their existence in this book). The text was distractingly error-ridden and this contributed to my overall star rating. Sure, I'm an editor and I'm attuned to it, but you should be striving to a higher level of perfection than this for a series. Come on.

I did learn from this book. I feel that it deepened certain aspects of my visit to Prague. If you have time in the city to really explore it, I think this is a valuable addition to your explorations. But it is not, as other reviews have suggested, really a guidebook, because it doesn't do much in the way of guiding you around the city. Certainly its organization sets it up as an academic tome and not a companion as you make your way around Prague. So if the other book you brought is Frommer's--I wouldn't buy this. If you really care about getting deeper into the Prague psyche and don't mind the occasional reach for a theory digression common to professors, pick this up.

[Joeji · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lens of how this book is looking at Prague history and culture is wonderful--what other book on a city would outline themes such as defenestration, automaton, and martyrdom when describing the history and sites of a city? It is a great read of Prague through its art and literature as well. However, I am a bit perplexed by the sudden pessimism in the last chapter, as if Prague, once it is no longer a perpetually oppressed nation, somehow loses its identity. Still, wonderful read.

[Chris Linehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as a history book goes this one is your fairly typical, textbook like work. It’s informative, covers a lot of ground quickly, but deep enough to give you more than some pop history or a travel guide. This was probably the biggest problem with the book, for me. That sentence would be more accurately rendered as I was the biggest problem for the book.

I’m going to Prague soon (hopefully) and am trying to get as much history of it as I can. I had a basic understanding of the history of Rome and London before traveling there. I didn’t know much of the history of Barcelona. My trips to the former two cities were made so much richer by having a deeper understanding of their history. I made the mistake of studying the cultural history of Prague before studying the more general history. I felt, at times, that the author assumed I knew more than I did- which, was my problem more than the author’s.

My deficiencies aside, the book was fascinating and if, as is a big strain of this book’s thesis, that the arts truly preceded the revolution, then perhaps I have embraced learning about Prague in the way it ought to be done. I have another three history books on Prague (plus a number of Kafka novels) to read before in the next two months. Maybe then I’ll have a richer understanding of this book.

[Charlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this book over a period of a couple of months. Learned quite a bit & enjoyed the first half. Second, more modern, part seemed drier and filled with names and dates. Not a guidebook. Glad that I had read a bit of the history of Czechoslovakia before beginning this; the book seems melancholy, particularly the last chapter. Maybe that's just true to Czech history and culture.

[Malcolm · Rating 3 out of 5]

The low rating is, I admit, only because I read this not long after Angelo Maria Ripellno's Magic Prague, which Burton admits is a major source for him. In effect, thjis is the tourist guidebook version of Ripellino, and modified by Burton's sense of the city. It is part of an excellent set of unconventional tourist gudiebooks (but is so much more than that) from Signal Press - Cities of the Imagination. Much more accessible than Ripellino, more likely to be a local book shop,and probably worth more than an 'it was OK' rating, so sqeaked into the 'liked it' category.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid review of some of the key cultural aspects of Prague -- and I like this idea of exploring a city's history through culture and literature. It's very listy, I think I would have liked more lists in the back of the book of where to look for more information, and a deeper exploration of fewer artists/writers/musicians in the chapters themselves. I'm also curious as to the actual centrality of defenestration and martyrdom and jumping off of bridges to the city and its culture, but I quite enjoyed that thought. But this was a good general introduction to the city and its cultural history.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good critical guide to the significance and semiotics of "magic Prague"--its architecture, art, literature, theatre, monuments, history. Highly recommended!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is all over the map, literally. There's not a lot in the way of straightforward histories of Prague in English. This one assumes that you're already deeply conversant with Czech history. (Of course I know all about White Mountain, who doesn't?) It starts as almost a walking tour of Prague neighborhoods, with associated history, before abruptly switching to a narrative of artistic movements of the twentieth century vaguely overlaid on the history of the country. Feels more like stream of consciousness of whatever caught the author's attention at the moment. There's a bunch of really interesting bits, but not quite the framework to make sense of it all. And the non-Czech author's faint superiority complex grates a bit after a while.

[Donald Schopflocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read for the traveller who wants more historical and cultural context than provided by standard travel guides. More academic (complete with names and titles), and hence drier, than other books in this series, though not without interesting critical analyses. You will need another guidebook, though.

[Saijun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, but the small font and not so well illustrations make it hard to read.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read just before a recent trip to the city and one that restored my confidence in the Czech capital's wonderfulness after stag do hell had threatened to spoil its reputation a few years back. This is very much a literary and artistic overview and perhaps lighter than it could have been on social aspects although the political backcloth is very good - especially as far as the Austrian Empire days are concerned. Lots about golems too.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a wonderful summary of many of the cultural developments and changes that Prague has been through. It deepened my knowledge of things I was familiar with and introduced me to new composers and artists that I am excited to look up. A perfect overview for anyone interested in the rich cultural history of Prague.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating study of the history of art, music, religion,and architecture in this city. This read helped me excitedly prepare for my trip.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Work to read anda bit dated, but a great book for an introduction to the city of Prague and the history of the Czech Republic through its cultural accomplishements

[Carolyn Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good background for our trip to Prague, but quite dense.