Reading Dolour is like looking into the most private depths of Holan's soul. Some of his poems are so simple that they are almost child-like; some are cruel and harsh, while others border on pornography. One can easily call him a wordsmith - he uses words as thoughts to convey his every written nuance. Sometimes, he purposefully chooses archaic and totally obsolete Czech words, which are virtually untranslatable. He was obsessed with women and sex, as well as his belief in God, Satan, Hell and Heaven. Both his sensuality ...
Read More
Reading Dolour is like looking into the most private depths of Holan's soul. Some of his poems are so simple that they are almost child-like; some are cruel and harsh, while others border on pornography. One can easily call him a wordsmith - he uses words as thoughts to convey his every written nuance. Sometimes, he purposefully chooses archaic and totally obsolete Czech words, which are virtually untranslatable. He was obsessed with women and sex, as well as his belief in God, Satan, Hell and Heaven. Both his sensuality and spirituality appear in most of his works and his intensity of emotion is almost tangible. Yet, he was so sentimental that he saw romance in every situation - even a glimpse of a woman's face in a passing train or encountering a woman in an elevator, or wondering what book that girl in a tram was reading. When the Communist Party took over Czechoslovakia, Holan was utterly devastated by their totalitarian regime, but his polemic was but a grain of sand in the oyster of hope. Reading Dolour is an experience you will never forget!
Read Less
Add this copy of Dolour to cart. $16.10, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2010 by Arima Publishing.
Add this copy of Dolour to cart. $25.48, new condition, Sold by Ria Christie Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Uxbridge, MIDDLESEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2010 by Arima Publishing.