Nevidím ani tmu - Rozhovory o naději – Palán Aleš (2021)

Where have the women gone? This thought struck Aleš Palán during preparations for a future book project. His protagonists will be exclusively men who chose flight as a form of liberation from the surrounding world to create their own. Don't women flee? How do they cope with pain, loss, and loneliness? Thus, the author began meeting with women and listening to their stories about the most painful scars in their lives. Perhaps they would prefer to forget, but they know that is not possible. One can only tip their hat to their openness and courage to bare their souls. All have found or are searching for a way to strength and perseverance to overcome tragic losses, torture, serious illnesses, drug addiction, and hitting rock bottom. The heroines of this book are diverse, aged from eighteen to ninety. Their narratives sometimes send chills, at other times they are unsettling, biting, evoking understanding and compassion, provoking tears and anger towards human cruelty and brutality. Aleš Palán spoke with six women who drew the short straw in life but did not succumb to it. The interviews are accompanied by photographs from leading Czech photographer Alžběta Jungrová.