Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International
Among the books nominated for the prestigious Magnesia Litera Award this year was a graphic novel called Arnoštova cesta, describing the life story of the great Czech Jewish writer Arnošt Lustig. I met with his daughter Eva, a writer and documentary filmmaker herself, to discuss the book, and also to talk about the Arnošt Lustig Foundation, which she is in charge of. However, I had to start by asking about an onion which she took out of her handbag upon entering the studio:
“The onion is in my hand because it symbolises the frail nature of our civilisation and humanity. The outer layer, the skin, is very thin and you can start peeling it. In my father’s words, the problem with civilization is its thin outer layer, which you can destroy in a matter of weeks or months.
See the rest here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková