Sovětská zima a náčelník Apačů – Lišková Vlasta (2020)

The main heroine, who styles herself (and her sister) as a fox, cautious and guarding her den – her privacy, must overcome a double handicap. Besides her nature, insecurity, lack of self-confidence, and distrust, as well as a certain sensitivity, she carries a complex from the periphery, the 'far West' of then Czechoslovakia. The peripheral nature of her homeland is symbolically expressed by the description of the earthquake that struck the Cheb region at the turn of 1985/1986. Since Czechs have only recently settled in the area, they do not have regular seismic tremors in their collective memory. The Apache chief in the title refers to the character of Karl May and his literary world, which plays an important role in the author's coming of age and life journey. Gradually, layer by layer, she discovers new aspects of May's work and personality. From Winnetou, she moves on to May's religiosity and his deeper dimension. Thus, May also plays a certain role in the search and discovery of faith, which is one of the important themes of the text. True to her 'fox nature,' the heroine also overcomes her innate caution in this regard and gradually grows in trust, discovering the Christian environment with its prominent figures (Jiří Reinsberg) and engaging with it. The finale of the text is marked by the end of 1989 and the involvement...