SSoP Podcast Episode 01 — Prague: Castles and Cobblestones

SSoP Podcast Episode 01 — Prague: Castles and Cobblestones

Monday, 20 January, 2020

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, home of the world’s best beer, stunning architecture, and oh, yeah: ancient secrets.

Originally settled by Slavs, the area now known as the Czech Republic was then made up of two kingdoms: Moravia and Bohemia. By the ninth century, it was part of the Holy Roman Empire. Fast forward a few hundred years, and the region came under the rule of the Habsburgs, until that empire fell at the end of WWI.

Between the two world wars, there was a brief, golden era of independence when the Czech identity soared. Truly Czech art, language, music, and writing were all the rage. It was a time of democracy, optimism, and creative output — but then WWII brought the Nazi occupation and, after that, the communist regime until 1989.

What’s bad for everyday life is excellent for storytelling. The tales inspired by Prague include daring rebellion, Slavic folklore, love of democracy, and an affection for a darker, but still humorous, perspective on life.

In this episode, we’ve got two books that transported us directly into communist territory during the Cold War, crime stories that explore the shadowy side of Prague, a fresh look at two Czech heroes of WWII, and more — all of which hit us right in our feelings.

We also chat with travel writer Mark Baker. He’s lived in Prague for more than 20 years and gives us the inside story on the city’s bookshops, spies, and ghosts.

transcript

Read the full transcript of Episode 01: Prague.

Prague Noir

buy | read review

The Wall

buy | read review

Prague Spring

buy | read review

Gottland

buy | read review

HHhH

buy | read review

The Glass Room

buy | read review

other books we mentioned

rule

our charming guest

A lot of things went on in Prague that gives the city, to me, still, a kind of spooky aspect. … I’m always looking for ghosts when I’m walking around Prague. — Mark Baker

Mark Baker is freelance journalist and travel writer who’s been exploring Prague and Central Europe for the last thirty years. He’s written for Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, Fodor’s, National Geographic, BBC World News, and The Wall Street Journal.

His ‘Ten Places to Visit in 2020’ is sure to add some Central and Eastern European destinations to your ‘to be visited’ list.

Mark mentioned Milan Kundera. Some of Kundera’s better-known works are The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and The Book of Laughter and Forgetting. He also suggested Ivan Klíma’s Love and Garbage and My Merry Mornings.

When asked which book he would like to be transported into, he said Patrick Leigh Fermor’s Between the Woods and the Water.

rule

other cool stuff we talked about

Here’s an article about the duplicate of the astronomical clock in Seoul, South Korea.

This is a picture of the Prague castle at night, courtesy of Martin Krchnacek.

The Prague Industrial Palace and Exhibition Grounds: Built in 1891 for Prague’s for the Jubilee Exhibition to honor Czech industry and technological innovation, the Industrial Palace was inspired by the Paris World’s Fair in in 1889. Today, the complex of buildings — and the carnival — is used for trade fairs, cultural events, and entertainment.

Here are pictures of the creepy carnival on the Prague fairgrounds. There are rumors that it’s been updated in the 10 years since these pictures we’re taken, but we have yet to investigate. (Please forgive the aggressive filtering; it was 2010.)

The Moody Blues: As promised, the truly groovy video of The Moody Blues performing their hit ‘Knights in White Satin’ on the Charles Bridge, 20 August 1968:

You can listen to more of Moody Blues on Spotify, or treat yourself to a ‘Best of’ album.

rule

subscribe

Subscribe to our podcast so you never miss a must-read book or thrilling destination!

If we're not available on your favorite podcast-listening platform, send us an email!

Top image courtesy of Fabrizio Verrecchia.

Want to keep up with our book-related adventures? Sign up for our newsletter!

keep reading

As book lovers, we love dense little travel guides that feel good in our hands, are written by locals, and give us the inside scoop on the cool stuff that's not included in traditional travel guides. Join us off the beaten path.
Prague's stunning architecture and magical atmosphere make it one of Europe's must-visit cities. But we love it because it's full of stories. Everywhere you look, there's a tale to be told, a mystery to unravel.
It's been 27 years since Melissa's last college French class. Now, as a resident of Prague, she's tackling the tricky grammar and pronunciation of the Czech language. Will she ever learn enough to read 'Jana Eyreova'?
The novel 'Goulash' reads like a memoir of an American expat's adventures in 1998 Prague. It was a dynamic time for the city, but some things stay the same: the pubs, the beer, and good, honest Czech food.
The Municipal Library of Prague (_Městská knihovna v Praze_) is close to the city center, and it's a quiet, magical place to escape the crush of Old Town and relax in the serenity of bookland. Visitors welcome.
On Melissa and David's first trip to Prague, they had a master plan for battling jetlag: Go on the hunt for the city's best strudel. Along the way, they discovered a cache of vintage books at a dusty used book store.
Tucked behind the spiky Our Lady Before Týn Church in Old Town Square, the Týnská Literárni Kavárna can be a bit tricky to find. But the bohemian ambiance, homemade lemonade, and cheap beer make it worth the effort.
Soft light illuminates floor-to-ceiling shelves of gilt-spined books in the libraries of the Strahov Monastery. But it's not all Latin texts and antique globes: a narwhal horn and a giant crab decorate the hallway.
Gilded bookshelves, antique globes, allegorical ceiling frescoes, thousands of books, church ruins, trompe l'oeil — we took it all in on a tour of the Strahov Monastery Library and the Břevnov Monastery in Prague.
How about a bookish trip to Prague? This novel has it all: a troubled but good-hearted heroine, dangerous secrets, gorgeous scenery, music and art and romance — all played out against the backdrop of Czech history.

sharing is caring!

Can you help us? If you like this article, share it your friends!

our mission

Strong Sense of Place is a website and podcast dedicated to literary travel and books we love. Reading good books increases empathy. Empathy is good for all of us and the amazing world we inhabit.

our patreon

Strong Sense of Place is a listener-supported podcast. If you like the work we do, you can help make it happen by joining our Patreon! That'll unlock bonus content for you, too — including Mel's secret book reviews and Dave's behind-the-scenes notes for the latest Two Truths and a Lie.

get our newsletter
We'll never share your email with anyone else. Promise.

This is a weekly email. If you'd like a quick alert whenever we update our blog, subscribe here.

no spoilers. ever.

We'll share enough detail to help you decide if a book is for you, but we'll never ruin plot twists or give away the ending.

super-cool reading fun
reading atlas

This 30-page Reading Atlas takes you around the world with dozens of excellent books and gorgeous travel photos. Get your free copy when you subscribe to our newsletter.