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Closely Watched Trains

By Bohumil Hrabal
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Closely Watched Trains by Bohumil Hrabal is set in German-occupied Czechoslovakia during World War II. The story follows a young railway worker named MiloΕ‘ Hrma, who navigates the complexities of his coming of age amidst the backdrop of war and occupation. The novel combines elements of dark humour with the absurdities of daily life under an oppressive regime, highlighting MiloΕ‘'s personal journey and the quirky characters around him.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate poignant tales set during World War II, infused with dark humour and rich with character development. It follows the coming-of-age of a young railway apprentice, offering a unique perspective on human resilience amidst the absurdity and chaos of war. This compelling narrative seamlessly blends comedy and tragedy, providing an insightful exploration of both personal and historical turmoil.

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Closely Watched Trains

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A classic of postwar literature, a small masterpiece of humour, humanity and heroism from one of the best Czech writers.

For gauche young apprentice Milos Hrma, life at the small but strategic railway station in Bohemia in 1945 is full of complex preoccupations. There is the exacting business of dispatching German troop trains to and from the toppling Eastern front; the problem of ridding himself of his burdensome innocence; and the awesome scandal of Dispatcher Hubicka's gross misuse of the station's official stamps upon the telegraphist's anatomy. Beside these, Milos's part in the plan for the ammunition train seems a simple affair.

Closely Watched Trains, which became the award-winning Jiri Menzel film of the 'Prague Spring', is a masterpiece that fully justifies Hrabal's reputation as one of the best Czech writers of the twentieth century.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Closely Watched Trains by Bohumil Hrabal is celebrated for its unique blend of realism and fantasy, with an undercurrent of humour and tender, intricate details. It is lauded for its sophisticated narrative style, combining rebellious spirit with a certain fatalistic wisdom. The novel is admired for its vivid portrayal of magical Prague and its joyful, imaginative storytelling, earning praise from notable critics as an essential read in European literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241290224

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 March 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Edith Pargeter

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 6.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 80g

Pages: 96

Collections

Bohumil Hrabal Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Series: Penguin Modern Classics

About the Author

Bohumil Hrabal (Author) Bohumil Hrabal was one of the most important and admired Czech writers of the twentieth century. He was born and raised in Brno in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1914. After working as a railway labourer, insurance agent, travelling salesman, manual labourer, paper-packer and stagehand, he published a collection of poetry that was quickly withdrawn by the communist regime. His best-known books include I Served the King of England, Closely Watched Trains (made into an Academy Award-winning film directed by Jiri Menzel) and Too Loud a Solitude. In 1997, he fell to his death from the fifth floor of a Prague hospital, apparently trying to feed the pigeons.

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