Jáchym Topol facts for kids
Jáchym Topol, born on August 4, 1962, is a famous Czech writer. He writes poems, novels, and also works as a journalist. In October 2017, he won the Czech State Award for Literature for his book A Sensitive Person and for all his writings throughout his life. He is also a musician.
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About Jáchym Topol
Jáchym Topol was born in Prague, which is in the Czech Republic. His father, Josef Topol, was a well-known Czech writer and poet. His mother, Jiřina Topolová, was the daughter of another famous Czech writer, Karel Schulz.
Early Life and Activism
Jáchym Topol started writing song lyrics for the rock band Psí vojáci (which means "Dog Soldiers"). His younger brother, Filip Topol, led this band in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Because his father was a "dissident" (someone who spoke out against the government at the time), Jáchym was not allowed to go to university. After finishing high school, he worked many different jobs, like a stoker (someone who tends a furnace), a construction worker, and a coal deliveryman.
He also helped create secret magazines called "samizdat" publications. These were writings that the government did not allow, so people copied and shared them secretly. He co-founded Violit in 1982 and Revolver Revue in 1985, which focused on modern Czech writing.
Jáchym Topol was sometimes put in prison for short times because of his secret publishing work. He also helped smuggle things across the Polish border with members of a Polish group called Solidarity. He also signed Charter 77, which was a brave statement asking for human rights.
After the Revolution
During the 1989 Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, when the country changed from a communist government to a democracy, Topol wrote for an independent newspaper called Informační servis. This newspaper later became a weekly magazine called Respekt, which investigates important stories. He also worked for another daily newspaper, Lidové noviny.
Today, Jáchym Topol works as a program director for the Václav Havel Library in Prague. This library is named after the first president of the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution.
Jáchym Topol has two daughters, Josefína and Marie, from his first marriage. He also has a son, Vojtěch Eliáš, with his second wife.
Creative Works
Jáchym Topol has written many different types of creative works, including poetry, novels, and even screenplays for films.
Poetry
- Eskymáckej pes (Eskimo dog) (1982)
- Stěhovavá tvář (Migratory face) (1983)
- Noty pro podzimní bytost (Notes for an autumn creature) (1984)
- Miluju tě k zbláznění (I love you madly; 1988)
- This was his first collection of poems. It won the Tom Stoppard Prize for Unofficial Literature.
- V úterý bude válka (The war will be on Tuesday; 1992)
- Děsivý spřežení (Horrifying dog team) (2016)
- Udržuj svou ledničku plnou. Písňové texty a zhudebněné básně 1979-2021 (Keep your refrigerator full: Song lyrics and poems set to music, 1979-2021) (2021)
Novels
- Sestra (Sister; 1994)
- This book won the Egon Hostovský Prize in 1995. It was translated into English as City Sister Silver.
- Anděl (Angel; 1995)
- Noční práce (Nightwork; 2001)
- Kloktat dehet (Gargling tar; 2005)
- Chladnou zemí (Through a chilly land; 2009)
- This novel won the Cena Jaroslava Seiferta in 2010. It was translated into English as The Devil's Workshop.
- Citlivý člověk (A Sensitive Person; 2017)
- This book won the State Prize for Literature in 2017.
Novellas and Short Stories
- Výlet k nádražní hale (Outing to the train station concourse; 1994)
- Zlatá hlava (Golden head; 2005)
- Supermarket sovětských hrdinů (Supermarket of Soviet heroes; 2007)
- A Little Honey (online short story)
Films
Jáchym Topol has also been involved in making films based on his books:
- Anděl Exit (Angel Exit; 2000)
- Sestra (Sister; 2008)
- Citlivý člověk (A Sensitive Person, 2023)
Awards and Recognition
Jáchym Topol has received several important awards for his writing:
- 1995 – Egon Hostovský Prize for City Sister Silver
- 2010 – Jaroslav Seifert Prize for The Devil's Workshop
- 2015 – Vilenica Prize
- 2017 – Czech State Award for Literature for A Sensitive Person and for all his work throughout his life.
See also
In Spanish: Jáchym Topol para niños