Spaceman of Bohemia
Jaroslav Kalfar
£12.99
Out of stock
Mr B's review
In a near future, Jakub Procházka becomes torch bearer for the Czech nation as he blasts off into space on a dangerous mission to analyse the composition of a distant dust cloud. The four-month-long solo mission gives Jakub plenty of time to consider his life on earth. Memories of childhood, the Velvet Revolution and his marriage, mingle with the uncomfortable, mundane existence inside the space capsule. One thought keeps recurring, however: is he really alone? Original, unpredictable and great fun.
Description
‘Reading Spaceman of Bohemia reminded me of the thrill of unearthing Everything is Illuminated from the mound of entries to the Guardian First Book Prize’
Claire Armitstead, Guardian
‘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.
Publisher Review
Spaceman of Bohemia is the best, most enjoyably heartbreaking, most fun book you’ll read this year. On the surface, you’ll see affinities with Gary Shteyngart, with The Martian, with Kelly Link. But Kalfar’s voice is entirely his own. I beg you: take this strange, hilarious, profound, life-affirming trip into literary outer space. * Darin Strauss, National Book Critics Circle Award winner for Half a Life * Spaceman of Bohemia is the best, most enjoyably heartbreaking, most fun book you’ll read this year. On the surface, you’ll see affinities with Gary Shteyngart, with The Martian, with Kelly Link. But Jaroslav Kalfar’s voice is entirely his own. I beg you: take this strange, hilarious, profound, life-affirming trip into literary outer space. * Darin Strauss, National Book Critics Circle Award winner for Half a Life * Spaceman of Bohemia is an out-of-this-world look at all our beautiful smallnesses, from the cells of our biology to the bacterial minutiae of one broken heart. The roar of revolution and governmental injustice is cast against the depths of our emotions and the bottomless, grateful silence of the stars. Jaroslav Kalfar has spun an unforgettable tale, a poignant interplanetary work that collapses the distance between us with the beauty of its language and the unstoppable wonder of this universe he’s created. * Samantha Hunt, author of Mr. Splitfoot * Spaceman of Bohemia represents the fiery, funny launch of an exciting new voice. Jaroslav Kalfar, like a good literary astronaut, finds levity in gravity, and vice versa. * Sam Lipsyte, New York Times bestselling author of The Ask * A hauntingly beautiful story of solitude, hope, family, and love that transcends, uplifts, carries the reader away. * Dinaw Mengestu, author of ALL OUR NAMES * 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 * This wonderful debut is a fine addition to the tradition of eastern European emigre writers [Vladimir Nabokov and, more recently, Gary Shteyngart and Aleksandar Hemon] producing dazzling fiction in English, their second language. * Metro * A joyfully intellectual book; the whole narrative could be read as a dream, as a clever paradigm in ways that resonate with David Mitchell. — Ruth McKee * Irish Times * Reading Spaceman of Bohemia reminded me of the thrill of unearthing Everything is Illuminated from the mound of entries to the Guardian First Book Prize — Claire Armitstead * Guardian * [An] excellent debut . . . This book could mark the launch of an astronomical career — James Marriott * The Times * A frenetically imaginative first effort, booming with vitality and originality . . . Kalfar’s voice is distinct enough to leave tread marks . . . He has such a lively mind and so many ideas to explore . . . Kalfar has an exhilarating flair for imagery . . . He writes boisterously and mordantly — Jennifer Senior * New York Times * A superb debut — Sam Kitchener * Literary Review *
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