Jaroslav Kalfar

An intergalactic odyssey of love, ambition, and self-discovery Orphaned as a boy, raised in the Czech countryside by his doting grandparents, Jakub Procházka has risen from small-time scientist to become the country's first astronaut. When a dangerous solo mission to Venus offers him both the chance at heroism he's dreamt of, and a way to atone for his father's sins as a Communist informer, he ventures boldly into the vast unknown. But in so doing, he leaves behind his devoted wife, Lenka, whose love, he realizes too late, he has sacrificed on the altar of his ambitions. Alone in Deep Space, Jakub discovers a possibly imaginary giant alien spider, who becomes his unlikely companion. Over philosophical conversations about the nature of love, life and death, and the deliciousness of bacon, the pair form an intense and emotional bond. Will it be enough to see Jakub through a clash with secret Russian rivals and return him safely to Earth for a second chance with Lenka? Rich with warmth and suspense and surprise, Spaceman of Bohemia is an exuberant delight from start to finish. Very seldom has a novel this profound taken readers on a journey of such boundless entertainment and sheer fun.

Spaceman of Bohemia

A Brief History of Living Forever

Kosmonaut z Čech

Il cosmonauta

Que outros mistérios, além de extraterrestres de pernas finas e nuvens voláteis de gás estariam à minha espera? O mundo está intrigado com um estranho fenômeno no céu, mas bancar uma viagem espacial parece arriscado demais. A República Tcheca, porém, aceita o desafio e designa o professor de astrofísica Jakub Procházka para a missão, talvez o único capaz de realizar uma tarefa tão perigosa. Uma vez no espaço, ele deverá coletar a misteriosa poeira cósmica que surgiu entre Vênus e a Terra. O astronauta torna-se, então, uma celebridade, mas nem tudo acontece como ele imaginara. Quando passa a se sentir insuportavelmente solitário, Jakub faz uma amizade inusitada com uma aranha alienígena. Alucinação ou realidade, os dois se entregam a conversas profundas sobre temas diversos, desde a maravilha do bacon até a natureza do amor, da vida e da morte. Entre ficção e realidade, Kalfař esmiúça o passado de Procházka e a história política da República Tcheca, tornando o leitor testemunha não só de uma intrépida viagem interplanetária, mas da busca de reconciliação do personagem consigo mesmo e com sua nação. Primeiro romance de Jaroslav Kalfař, O astronauta foi finalista de diversos prêmios literários e traduzido para mais de dez idiomas. Uma adaptação cinematográfica da obra será lançada em breve pela Netflix.

O astronauta

Czeski astronauta

'Inventive and heartfelt, this dystopian take on the immigrant experience and the American Dream packs a walloping punch' Esquire An audacious novel set in near-future America, from the critically acclaimed author of SPACEMAN OF BOHEMIA. When Adéla discovers she has a terminal illness, her thoughts turn to Tereza, the child she gave up at birth. Leaving behind her family in their native Czech village, Adéla flies to the United States to find her long-lost daughter before it is too late. Raised in America and living in a fractured New York City, Tereza is working for two suspicious biotech moguls hellbent on immortality. But before Tereza can imagine a cure for Adéla, her mother dies and her body disappears. Narrated by Adéla's restless spirit, the novel blends an immigrant mother's heart-breaking journey through Reagan's American dream with her children's quest to reclaim her in the near future. By turns insightful, poignant and satirical, A Brief History of Living Forever deftly navigates grief and hope in a high-wire act of storytelling. Praise for SPACEMAN OF BOHEMIA: 'Funny, human and oddly down-to-earth' Guardian 'A superb debut' Literary Review 'Booming with vitality and originality' New York Times

"When Jakub Procha is sent into space to examine a cosmic dust cloud covering Venus, it may be a solo suicide mission. Dreaming of becoming a national hero and desperate to atone for his father's sins as a Communist informer, he leaves his beloved wife behind and launches into the galaxy. But things aboard spaceship JanHus1 quickly turn weird, and, to make matters worse, he soon learns that his wife has disappeared without a trace back on Earth. As his spaceship hurtles toward an unknown danger and his sanity wavers, Jakub encounters an unlikely fellow passenger -- a giant alien spider. He and his strange arachnid companion form an unlikely bond over late-night refrigerator encounters, where they talk philosophy, love, life, death, and the incomprehensible deliciousness of bacon. But when their mission is thrown into crisis by secret Russian rivals, Jakub is forced to make violent decisions -- recalling the tortured past and dark political heritage he's buried -- in a desperate quest to return to his Earthly life. Packed with nail-biting thrills, exuberant heart, and surprising and absurd humor in the lineage of Kafka and Vonnegut, Spaceman of Bohemia offers an extraordinary vision of the endless human capacity to persist -- and risk everything -- in the name of love and home"--

'An incredible experience... I can honestly say I loved every page. Every sentence. Spaceman of Bohemia is unforgettable: a work of breathtaking scope and heart, and a reflection of humanity that's raw and strange and profound and true.' Lisa McInerney, Baileys-Prize-winning author of The Glorious Heresies Set in the near-distant future, Spaceman follows a Czech astronaut as he launches into space to investigate a mysterious dust cloud covering Venus, a suicide mission sponsored by a proud nation. Suddenly a world celebrity, Jakub's marriage starts to fail as the weeks go by, and his sanity comes into question. After his mission is derailed he must make a violent decision that will force him to come to terms with his family's dark political past. An extraordinary vision of the endless human capacity to persist-and risk everything-in the name of love and home, by a startlingly talented young debut novelist.

When Adela discovers she has a terminal illness, her thoughts turn to Tereza, the American-raised daughter she gave up at birth. Leaving behind her moody, grown son, Roman in their native Czech village, she flies to the United States to find the long-lost daughter who never knew her. In New York City, Tereza is working as the star researcher for two suspicious biotech moguls hellbent on developing a 'god pill' to extend human life indefinitely. But before Tereza can find a cure for Adela, her mother dies mysteriously. Narrated from the beyond by Adela, A Brief History of Living Foreveris a high-wire act of storytelling. By turns insightful, moving and funny, the novel blends an immigrant mother's heartbreaking journey through the American dream with her children's quest to reclaim her from a country that would erase any record of her existence.

Jaroslav Kalfar

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