Věra Houbová Books

Ein Seekriegsroman, der den Krieg als unmenschliche Perversion entlarvt

Set against the backdrop of impending World War II, the narrative follows Jewish refugees escaping Nazi Germany as they navigate the dangers of being illegal aliens. Their harrowing journey from one country to another is intertwined with a poignant love story, highlighting the struggles and resilience of individuals in the face of persecution and desperation.

In Spark of Life, a powerful classic from the renowned author of All Quiet on the Western Front, one man’s dream of freedom inspires a valiant resistance against the Nazi war machine. For ten years, 509 has been a political prisoner in a German concentration camp, persevering in the most hellish conditions. Deathly weak, he still has his wits about him and he senses that the end of the war is near. If he and the other living corpses in his barracks can hold on for liberation—or force their own—then their suffering will not have been in vain. Now the SS who run the camp are ratcheting up the terror. But their expectations are jaded and their defenses are down. It is possible that the courageous yet terribly weak prisoners have just enough left in them to resist. And if they die fighting, they will die on their own terms, cheating the Nazis out of their devil’s contract. “The world has a great writer in Erich Maria Remarque. He is a craftsman of unquestionably first rank, a man who can bend language to his will. Whether he writes of men or of inanimate nature, his touch is sensitive, firm, and sure.”— The New York Times Book Review

The year is 1928. On the outskirts of a large German city, three young men are earning a thin and precarious living. Fully armed young storm troopers swagger in the streets. Restlessness, poverty, and violence are everywhere. For these three, friendship is the only refuge from the chaos around them. Then the youngest of them falls in love, and brings into the group a young woman who will become a comrade as well, as they are all tested in ways they can never have imagined. . . .Written with the same overwhelming simplicity and directness that made All Quiet on the Western Front a classic, Three Comrades portrays the greatness of the human spirit, manifested through characters who must find the inner resources to live in a world they did not make, but must endure.

O činoch a životoch veľkých cisárovien vieme veľa, no o ich detstve a mladosti takmer nič. Akú výchovu získali tieto ženy, ktoré neskôr formovali svetovú ríšu? Aké mali privilégiá, ktorým pravidlám sa museli podrobiť, ako často vídali rodičov? Mária Terézia žila v neskorom baroku, Alžbeta v búrlivých rokoch 19. storočia a Zita bola prvou a zároveň poslednou habsburskou cisárovnou 20. storočia. Jedno však mali spoločné: Žiadna nebola predurčená stať sa cisárovnou.

Set against the backdrop of the Llano Estacado, this sequel features a diverse group of heroes converging for a critical meeting. As they gather, they uncover a bandit plot to attack an immigrant caravan, leading to thrilling confrontations. The story introduces intriguing characters, including the Avenging Ghost, who seeks justice for the oppressed. This unabridged English translation modernizes Karl May's original narrative while preserving its adventurous spirit and moral themes, making it more relatable for contemporary readers.

Set against the backdrop of the Black Hills, Vohkadeh races to alert Martin Baumann about his father's capture by the Oglala. Joined by a diverse group including Shortleg Frank, Bob, and legendary figures Old Shatterhand and Winnetou, they embark on a daring rescue mission. As they journey towards Yellowstone National Park, their path is filled with thrilling adventures and opportunities for heroism. This unabridged translation modernizes the narrative while preserving the original's excitement and moral themes, making it accessible for contemporary readers.

Stefan Zweig o svých esejích, zabývajících se třemi spisovateli 19. století – Balzakem, Dickensem a Dostojevským, řekl: „Jednotným záměrem knihy bylo pokusit se ukázat tyto tři velké a podle mne jediné romanopisce 19. století jako typy, které se právě kontrastností svých osobností vzájemně doplňují.“