Život za život – de Kerangalová Maylis (2023)

After a morning trip to the beach, a group of young surfers has an accident in a van, which becomes fatal for one of them. His family is faced with a difficult choice: if they agree to organ donation, their son's death could save other lives. The novel by a prominent French author is presented in an exceptionally original style of multiple streams of consciousness from all involved, from friends to parents to the medical staff and transplant waiting list patients. The author draws from the best French stylistic tradition, and her poetic depiction of human experience in a critical moment has received considerable acclaim from critics and many enthusiastic readers both in France and abroad. Kerangal virtuously captures a rich range of themes – from human emotions to moral dilemmas to reflections on how new medical possibilities change our relationship with the body and its dignity, as well as how the rituals surrounding death transform in our culture. The Czech translation of the novel was undertaken by Tomáš Havel, who not only has a rich background in capturing the refined style of the author but also possesses medical education and practice, enabling him to convey even the most technical twists of the carefully composed prose. The outstanding work has already been translated into more than...