May

This series is devoted to making available in English translation, outstanding works of literature from the Czech lands. From German, the following works are included: Severin's "Journey Into The Dark"; "Others' Paradise" by Paul Leppin; "Blaugast" (forthcoming) by Paul Leppin; "The Maimed" by Hermann Ungar; "Boys and Murderers" by Hermann Ungar; "The Tigress And Other Texts" (forthcoming) by Walter From Czech, the folowing works are included: "Hidden History" by Otokar Brezina; "The Arsonist" by Egon Hostovsky; "The Sufferings Of Prince Sternenhoch" by Ladislav Klima; "Glorious Nemesis" (forthcoming) by Ladislav Klima; "May" by Karel Hynek Macha; "Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders" by Vitezslav Nezval; "Edition 69" by Nezval/Styrsky. Compared to Byron, Keats, Shelley, and Poe, called Lautreamont's "elder brother" by the Czech Surrealists, Karel Hynek Macha (1810-1836) was the greatest Czech Romantic poet, and arguably the most influential of any poet in the language. "May", his epic masterpiece, was published in April 1836, just seven months before his death. Considered the "pearl" of Czech poetry, it is a tale of seduction, revenge, and patricide. A paean as well to nature, virtually every Czech student and adult can recite the first stanzas of the poem from memory, and new editions still regularly appear. The reason for the poem's popularity and longevity is the beauty of its music and its innovative use of language. Scorned at first by the national revivalists of the late 19th century for being "un-Czech," Macha was held up as the "national" poet of later generations, a fate from which the interwar Czech avant-garde tried to rescue him. As opposed to the other important 19th-century European poets, Macha's work has been largely ignored in English translation. The present volume, the sole to exist in English, provides the original Czech text in parallel. Twisted Spoon Press was founded in 1992 as an independent publisher devoted to new writing and new translations, often in conjunction with graphic art. Based in Prague, it offers a unique selection of literature in English from Central and Eastern Europe, from emerging as well as internationally recognized authors. Care is taken with translation, illustration, and design as we produce books that are of literary as well as artistic merit.