Dům bez pána / Půlnoční pacient – Hostovský Egon (2018)

From the psychological and existential prose of Egon Hostovský (1908–1973), we select two novels that are characteristic of both the most significant periods of his work. The novel "Dům bez pána" (House Without a Master) (1937) represents a type of traditional psychological prose. The Adler siblings, who gather in their childhood home after the death of their father, a Jewish doctor, are individuals haunted by the past, loneliness, or feelings of guilt. The emotional crisis that compels each of them to reveal a hidden secret, however, becomes an impulse for the renewal of mutual trust. The novel "Půlnoční pacient" (Midnight Patient) (1959) in this volume represents Hostovský's post-war exile work. The theme of the absurdity of human existence in a world disrupted by interpersonal communication is reflected in the situation of European emigrants in America during the Cold War. In the depiction of their lives, the loss of faith in positive ideals and the desire to escape political reality gradually prevail. The edition was prepared by Štěpánka Pašková, with commentary on both novels provided by Václav Vaněk.