Published Books

"I see Martin Putna’s book, Václav Havel. Spiritual portrait within the framework of Czech culture as an extremely pivotal work about an extremely important personality of the Czech history. This is not a usual biography, a factual description of events. Putna unfolds to the reader his cultivated interpretation of the meaning of the cultural environment in which Václav Havel rose and lived. Putna offers an inside view of a direct participant while using a detached view of a historian in the narration. He built his work on his exceptionally careful study of available sources. In addition, Putna writes quite readably and with elegance. In my opinion, this book is a cardinal achievement in so far mostly superficial and often biased thinking about Václav Havel. It sets a new and high standard."

Erazim Kohák.

The 14 lessons of Nina Rutova's book, intended primarily for teachers and students, describes in detail one personality and all eras. The concept of the text is based on the author's lecturing experience in the Vaclav Havel Library where she has been preparing seminars for secondary school students for several years now.

"Critical thinking" methods outline the themes of the book, e.g. dissent, conscience, legacy of the past and democratic discussion.

Letters to Olga, written by Václav Havel from prison, is a world-famous work of Czech literature. Now Letters from Olga - the real answers to his philosophical letters - come to light.

Fausting is the first publication of the collection of texts compiled by Václav Havel's friends in 1986 at the occassion of his 50th birthday. The texts reacted to Havel's play Temptation: from platonic dialogues through Devil's monologue up to the mysterious Faust's mistress. It is accompanied with contemporary transcription of interview with Václav Havel. It is published as the first issue of the Václav Havel Library book series.

In November 2004, a book of the dispatches sent from the American Embassy in Prague to the American diplomatic headquarters from the revolutionary days of 1989 was published under the name of “Prague – Washington – Prague”. Prof. Vilém Prečan prepared the Czech-English version for publishing from unique archive materials which the American State Department released for this purpose.