Who am I

Author: [Czech] Bohumil Hrabal
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Bohumil Hrabal, this Czech writer is somewhat unfamiliar to us; he didn’t publish his first book until he was 49. He created the Czech-style "Pabitel" figure, won many literary awards, and his novels were adapted into several films. This Czech writer is also quite special, and the very essence of his uniqueness lies in his ordinariness. After obtaining a law degree, he left the conventional life we imagine and moved into a slum, working as a steel mill laborer, warehouse manager, salesman, scrap collector, and stagehand. Hrabal once said, "If others can live in a steel mill, why can’t I?" He wrote amidst his heavy work, depicting the overlooked people like workers, small shop owners, drivers, and scavengers, focusing on their kindness, simplicity, and flaws. Who Am I is both the title of one of Hrabal’s books and a question he often reflected upon. For someone who was both timid and cynical, humble yet critical, constantly asking himself, "Who am I?" would surely be profound.
In the Hrabal Treasury Letter, this collection titled Who Am I is compiled from excerpts of his numerous works, statements, essays, and notes, along with his interview titled The Handkerchief Knot and a chronology. We present it as a supplement to the introduction of several of his works, in hopes of delighting the readers.