Derek Sayer: Postcards from Absurdistan and Beyond

Derek Sayer’s Prague trilogy is an integral part of the city’s history. Beginning with The Coast of Bohemia (1998), these works not only cemented the Czech capital in international consciousness but also made a significant contribution to the debate on “Czech identity”. The author connects seemingly marginal and pivotal historical events from the realms of politics and culture, offering both a perspective on the city’s local history and insights into fundamental questions of broader socio-political and cultural development. With a special focus on the book Postcards from Absurdistan: Prague at the End of History, which was recently translated into Czech and from which excerpts will be read, this evening with the author will revisit some of the themes explored in the book, as well as discuss the genesis of the entire trilogy and Sayer’s approach to writing cultural history.