Josef Holcman: He Thinks It’s a Novel

–Czechia

Born 1952 in Kyjov. He studied law in Brno, worked at the district court in Hodonín, later in Gottwaldov. He led the small stage at the Zlín Municipal Theater, where he also performed as an actor. He participated in the Ride of the Kings [Jízda Králů]. His grandfather was Josef Holcman, a member of the Provisional National Assembly in 1945 and 1946. He published over twenty books, connected with the traditions and customs of the Moravian-Slovak village of Skoronice, where he spent his childhood and youth; among others, Karel chodí po zemi [Karel Walks the Earth] (2019), Stoletý mládenec [Century Old Bachelor] (2021) and Třetí cesta [The Third Way] (2021). He said of the latter: "The publisher wrote that magical realism is looming there in places. I think it's a novel. Of course, there is a lot of dialogue and commentary on various events and situations. I like trips into history, but in this case they are very current."