Jiří Hájíček's literary work frequently revisits themes of rural life and folk traditions, which he depicts with a keen sense of detail and language in both realistic and subtly stylized forms. His short stories and novellas penetratingly explore human relationships and their connection to the land and landscape, often emphasizing deeper human emotions and existential questions. Hájíček's prose is characterized by a strong narrative flow and engaging stories that resonate with readers not only in the Czech Republic but also internationally through translations of his works.
Culture, history, language, and indeed the living memory of a nation fuse in Jiří Hájíček's Rustic Baroque and in the additional stories included in this volume. Winner of the Magnesia Litera prize as the best Czech novel of 2005, Rustic Baroque is set in South Bohemia about a decade after the Velvet Revolution. It recalls the1950's collectivization of agriculture, and torn social fabric in the decades to follow.