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The Power of the Powerless
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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?
Václav Havel’s remarkable and rousing essay on the tyranny of apathy, with a new introduction by Timothy Snyder
Cowed by life under Communist Party rule, a greengrocer hangs a placard in their shop window: Workers of the world, unite! Is it a sign of the grocer’s unerring ideology?
One of the most 'original and compelling pieces of political writing' to come out of the Soviet Union, published in Vintage Classics on its fortieth anniversary
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Description
One of the most original and compelling pieces of political writing to come out of the Soviet Union, published in Vintage Classics on its fortieth anniversary.
Vaclav Havel's remarkable and rousing essay on the tyranny of apathy, with a new introduction by Timothy Snyder.
Cowed by life under Communist Party rule, a greengrocer hangs a placard in their shop window—Workers of the world, unite! Is it a sign of the grocer's unerring ideology? Or a symbol of the lies we perform to protect ourselves?
Written in 1978, Vaclav Havel's meditation on political dissent—the rituals of its suppression, and the sparks that re-ignite it—would prove the guiding manifesto for uniting Solidarity movements across the Soviet Union. A portrait of activism in the face of falsehood and intimidation, The Power of the Powerless remains a rousing call against the allure of apathy.
Havel's diagnosis of political pathologies has a special resonance in the age of Trump – Pankaj Mishra
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?
Václav Havel's The Power of the Powerless holds significant relevance even in contemporary political discussions, as noted by Pankaj Mishra in relation to the Trump era. The book's influence in challenging the Soviet-imposed regime is highlighted by David Remnick, who praises Havel's unique voice in undermining totalitarianism. The Economist appreciates Havel's scathing yet gentle prose in unveiling the deceit and cowardice underpinning communist power. The New York Times commends the essay's foresight on the eventual success of opposition against a totalitarian state.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781784875046
Publisher: Vintage Publishing
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 27 September 2018
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Vintage Classics
Contributors:
- Introduction by Timothy Snyder
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 11.0mm
Width: 111.0mm
Height: 179.0mm
Weight: 99g
Pages: 176
About the Author
Vaclav Havel was born in Prague on 5 October 1936. The son of a movie producer, Havel first distinguished himself as a poet and playwright in Prague's burgeoning theatre world. The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia saw Havel aiding the resistance for which he was later banned from theatre work. Living under Soviet occupation, and having to work as a brewer, Havel became increasingly politically active and was eventually imprisoned for three years following the publication of his 1979 essay, The Power of the Powerless. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, Havel became President of Czechoslovakia and he was later elected the first President of the Czech Republic. Havel returned to the theatre after retiring from political life, writing two new plays before his death on 18 December 2011. (Author photograph copyright J. Jiroutek 2011)
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