Josef Škvorecký facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josef Škvorecký
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Škvorecký in 2004
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| Born | September 27, 1924 Náchod, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia |
| Died | January 3, 2012 (aged 87) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Writer, publisher |
| Language | Czech, English |
| Nationality | Czechoslovak, Canadian |
| Period | 1948–2004 |
| Notable works | Zbabělci Tankový prapor Miss Silver's Past |
| Spouse | Zdena Salivarová |
Josef Škvorecký (born September 27, 1924 – died January 3, 2012) was a famous writer and publisher from Czechoslovakia and later Canada. He spent half his life in Canada, where he helped publish books by Czech writers whose works were banned by the communist government in their home country. Škvorecký won the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 1980. He and his wife, Zdena Salivarová, were big supporters of writers who spoke out against the government before communism ended in Czechoslovakia. Škvorecký's stories often explored themes like the dangers of strict governments, the experience of living in a foreign country, and the joy of jazz music.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Josef Škvorecký was born in Náchod, a town in Czechoslovakia. His father worked at a bank. In 1943, Josef finished high school in Náchod.
He loved jazz music when he was young. He even played the tenor saxophone as a hobby before World War II. This experience later inspired his book The Bass Saxophone (1967). During the war, for two years, he was forced to work in a factory that made Messerschmitt airplanes.
After the war, he started studying medicine at Charles University in Prague. But after one term, he switched to studying philosophy. He earned his degree in philosophy in 1949 and a PhD in 1951. He then taught for two years at a girls' school. From 1952 to 1954, he served in the Czechoslovak Army.
Writing and Publishing Career
In the 1950s, Škvorecký worked as a teacher, editor, and translator. During this time, he wrote several novels. His first novel, The Cowards, was written in 1948–49 and published in 1958. Another book was The End of the Nylon Age (1956).
However, the communist government in Czechoslovakia did not like his books. They were banned because his writing style was new and free. His ideas about democracy also challenged the government. Because of this, he lost his job as an editor for a magazine called Světová literatura ("World Literature").
Even though his books were banned, Škvorecký kept writing. He also supported the movement for more freedom that led to the Prague Spring in 1968. This was a time when people in Czechoslovakia tried to make their country more democratic.
Life in Canada and 68 Publishers
In 1968, the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia happened. This meant that armies from other communist countries invaded Czechoslovakia to stop the reforms. Because of this, Škvorecký and his wife, Zdena Salivarová, moved to Canada.
In 1971, Josef and Zdena started their own publishing company called 68 Publishers. For the next 20 years, this company published Czech and Slovak books that were banned in their home countries. It became a very important way for writers who disagreed with the government, like Václav Havel and Milan Kundera, to share their work.
After communism ended in Czechoslovakia, Václav Havel became president. In 1990, he gave Josef and Zdena the Order of the White Lion. This was a high honor for their work in supporting banned literature.
Škvorecký also taught English at the University of Toronto in Canada. He became a Professor Emeritus, which means he was a respected retired professor. He retired from teaching in 1990. Even though he wrote mostly in Czech, he is also seen as a Canadian author.
Literary Works and Themes
A character named Danny Smiricky appears in many of Škvorecký's novels. This character is partly based on the author himself.
Škvorecký wrote four detective stories about Lieutenant Boruvka, a detective from Prague. These books include The Mournful Demeanor of Lieutenant Boruvka and Sins for Father Knox.
His poems were collected in a book in 1999 called ...there's no remedy for this pain.
He also wrote non-fiction books. Talkin' Moscow Blues is a collection of essays about jazz, literature, and politics. His autobiography is called Headed for the Blues. He also wrote two books about Czech movies.
Škvorecký was also known for his knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos, a fictional universe created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. He wrote introductions for many of Lovecraft's books.
He wrote scripts for films and television shows. Some of his stories were made into TV dramas, like Eine kleine Jazzmusik. Three successful TV series were also made from his stories, including Sins for Father Knox.
A film based on his novel Pastor's End was made in 1968. However, it was never shown and was hidden away by the communist government because Škvorecký had left the country. In 1968, Škvorecký and Czech film director Miloš Forman started writing a film script for The Cowards. But no film was made after Škvorecký left.
For many years, he also wrote more than 200 monthly radio shows about literature for Voice of America.
Josef Škvorecký passed away on January 3, 2012, in Toronto, Canada, from cancer. He was 87 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Josef Škvorecký received many awards for his writing:
- The Neustadt International Prize for Literature (1980)
- The Canadian Governor General's Award for English-language fiction (1984)
- The Czech Republic State Prize for Literature (1999)
- The Prize of the Comenius Pangea Foundation "For Improvement of Human Affairs" (2001), which he shared with Polish film director Andrzej Wajda
- The Angelus Award (2009)
He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1982.
In 1990, the President of Czechoslovakia, Václav Havel, gave him the Order of the White Lion.
In 1992, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada, which is a high honor in Canada.
Škvorecký was also a Guggenheim Fellow and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
In 1996, he received the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France.
Images for kids
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Škvorecký in 2004
See also
In Spanish: Josef Škvorecký para niños
