Doba chemlonová - Jak jsem přežil socialismus, svoji rodinu a Brno – Marek Jaromír (2023)

Childhood in socialist Czechoslovakia was beautiful — much like any childhood. If only it weren't for the normalization... Old Brno, the turn of the sixties and seventies. The scars of the post-war era are still evident in society, official normalization is taking place, and the victory of socialism is being reinforced. Families must somehow cope with the general scarcity, whether it concerns housing, consumer goods, or vacations abroad. One of the few ways to manage this daily struggle is to take everything with humor. Or at least with childlike curiosity and naivety. The book "Doba chemlonová" by journalist Jaromír Marek could be labeled as critical nostalgia. The author returns to the incredible stories and experiences of his somewhat eccentric family, reminiscing with love and humor about his childhood and adolescence in Husák's Brno. However, he must be careful not to fall into the familiar trap of confusing his own sentiment with sympathy for the period's reality. While reading, we can enjoy everyday life in a tenement house, waiting for a new Škoda, or a vacation in Romania, without anything threatening us. Well, except for a strained diaphragm.