Detektivem v Babylónu – Brautigan Richard (2024)

Richard Brautigan, the American writer regarded as the last and most literary of the beatniks, is well known to Czech readers. As early as 1986, Olga Špilarová translated his book In Watermelon Sugar, which became a cult classic in then Czechoslovakia. The brilliant prose Detective in Babylon was first published in 1977 with the subtitle A Private Eye Novel of 1942. Even the cover of the first edition suggests that this will not be a classic detective story, but rather a narrative that uses this genre as a springboard to create an absurd tale, in which, alongside countless humorous situations, the human existence is laid bare. It is no coincidence that the novella has been dubbed a metaphysical detective story. The main character, C. Card, is faced with a dire life situation (poverty, debts, hunger) while simultaneously experiencing bliss induced by daydreaming. Whenever he is able to 'switch' and find himself in ancient Babylon, he is always successful and always by the side of the beautiful friend Nana-dirat. However, the description of events one afternoon and evening, in which C. Card fulfills a job after a very long time, may seem at least as absurd as the world of dreaming. The portrayal of all characters and situations is extremely apt and humorous.