Jáchym Topol


© Edgar de Bruin

A modern European classic

About the Author

 Jáchym Topol (1962) is often referred to as true modern European classic. He is rooted in the Czech cultural underground of the seventies and eighties and was a key figure in this movement. He founded several cultural magazines, worked as a journalist and meanwhile made his first steps in literature by writing poetry. It was in 1994 when he made a devastating entrance with his first novel Sestra (City Sister Sliver). Since then he has published a several other novels and especially his book Noční práce (Night Work) has met with great success abroad and has established his name as being one of the most important Czech, or more precise, European contemporary authors. His work is being translated in many languages.

From September 2004 he stayed as "writer-in-residence" for five months at the NIAS Institute in The Netherlands to write his novel Gargling With Tar, which was published in 2005 and was proclaimed Book of the Year. It was since published in a number of languages, like Dutch (Ambo|Anthos), German (Suhrkamp), English (Portobelleo), French (Noir sur Blanc) etc. The Dutch translation was awarded with the prestigious Aleida Schot Prize. Also some critics in the Netherlands proclaimed it as Book of the Year 2006.

Up till now his most successful novel Chladnou zemí (The Devil's Workshop) was published in 2009, with the rights sold to over 20 countries. The English edition got in 2013 the English PEN Award for Writing in Translationwasa and the Typographical Translation Award. It also appeared on the longlist of the Best Translated Book Award Fiction 2014. The Dutch edition was on the shorlist for the European Literare Prize 2011 and on the shortlist for the Polish Angelus prize 2014. Almost everywhere the book met with great reviews.

In 2017 his long awaited new novel Citlivý člověk (A Sensitive Person), a grand novel about modern Europe. The rights were straight away sold to France and Germany.


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Bibliography
Publication Published in Published by
Poetry
Miluju tě k zbláznění (I Love you Madly) 1988 RR editions; Atlantis, Brno
V úterý bude válka (The War Will Be on Tuesday) 1992 Vokno, Prague; Atlantis, Brno
1
Novels
Sestra (City Sister Silver) 1994 Atlantis Publishers, Brno
Výlet k nádražní hale(A trip to the Train Station) 1994 Martin Dyrynk; Petrov Publishers, Brno
Anděl (Exit Angel) 1995 Hynek Publishers, Prague
Trnová dívka (The Thorn Girl) 1997 Hynek Publishers, Prague
Mongolský vlk -Gandan (The Mongolian Wolf - Gandan) 1999 Unpublished
Noční práce (Night Work) 2001 Torst/Hynek Publishers, Prague
Kloktat dehet (Gargling With Tar ) 2005 Torst Publishers, Prague
Zlatá hlava(The Golden Head ) 2005 In Život Publishers, Prague
Supermarket sovětských hrdinů (The Supermarket of Soviet Heroes) 2007 Torst Publishers, Prague
Chladnou zemí (Through The Bare Land ) 2009 Torst Publishers, Prague
Citlivý člověk (A Sensitive Person ) 2017 Torst Publishers, Prague
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Plays
Cesta do Bugulmy (The Journey to Bugulma ) 2006 Svět a divadlo, Prague


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Translations
Publication Publisher Translated by
Sestra
Die Schwester 1998, Volk und Welt, Berlin Eva Profousová and Beate Smandek
Nővérem 1998, Kalligram, Bratislava/Budapest Péter Koloszár
City Sister Silver 2000, Catbird Press, North Haven Alex Zucker
Siostra 2002, WAB Publishers, Warsaw Leszek Engelking
Serbian edition in progress Darma Books, Belgrade
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Výlet k nádražní hale
A Trip to the Train Station 1995, Petrov Publishers, Brno Alex Zucker
Utflykt till järnvägsstationen 2002, Rámus Förlag HB, Malmö Hagar William Olsson
1
Anděl
Engel Exit 1997, Volk und Welt, Berlin Peter Sacher
Angyal 2000, Kalligram, Bratislava/Budapest Péter Koloszár
Ange Exit 2002, Éditions Robert Laffont, Paris Marianne Canavaggio
Melek Kavșaǧi 2005, Norgunk Yayinlari, Istanbul Martin Alaçam
Андёл 2008, Logvinov, Minsk Sjarhej Smatryčenka
Anioł 2009, FA-art, Katowice Marcin Babko
Angel Station 2017, Dalkey Archive Press, Victoria Alex Zucker
Melek Kavșaǧi 2020, Dergah Yayinlari, Istanbul (new edition) Martin Alaçam
Anđeo 2021 Artikulacije, Koprivnica Matija Ivačić
1
Gandan
Gandan (excerpt) 2004, Literary Magazine "Armada", Amsterdam Edgar de Bruin
1
Noční práce
Missions Nocturnes 2002, Éditions Robert Laffont, Paris Marianne Canavaggio
Nachtwerk 2003, Ambo|Anthos Publishers, Amsterdam Edgar de Bruin
Nachtarbeit 2003, Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Main Eva Profousová and Beate Smandek
Éjszkai munka 2004, Kalligram, Budapest Péter Koloszár
Nocna prace 2004, WAB Publishers, Warsaw Leszek Engelking
Lavorna notturno 2006, Azimut, Rome Laura Angeloni
Misiones nocturnas 2006, Lengua de trapo, Madrid Kepa Uharte
Nattarbeid 2007, Bokvennen Forlag AS, Oslo Kristin Kilsti
Noćni posao 2007, Fraktura, Zagreb Sanja Milićević Armada
Nattarbete 2008, Ersatz Publishers, Stockholm Tora Hedin
Nightwork 2014, Portobello Books, London Marek Tomin
Ноќна работа 2016, Tri Publishing Centre, Skopje Donka Rous
Nočno delo 2016, Cankarjeva založba, Ljubljana Nives Vidrih
Noćna smena 2017, Dereta, Belgrade Uroš Nikolić
Bulgarian edition in progress Paradox, Sofia
New Italian edition in progress Keller editore, Rovereto
1
Kloktat dehet
Spoelen met teerzeep 2006, Ambo Anthos Publishers, Amsterdam Edgar de Bruin
Zirkuszone 2007, Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Mein Milena Oda and Andreas Tretner
Strefa cyrkowa 2008, Wydawnictwo W.A.B., Warsaw Leszek Engelking
Kátrány 2009, Kalligram, Budapest Péter Koloszár
Gárgaras con alquitrán 2009, Lengua de Trapo, Madrid Kepa Uharte
Å gurgle tjaere 2009, Bokvennen Forlag AS, Oslo Kristin Kilsti
Zone cirque 2009, Noir sur Blanc, Paris Marianne Canavaggio
Katpaн 2010, Paradox, Sofia Ani Burova
Artisti e animali del Circo socialista 2011, Giulio Einaudi editore, Turin Laura Angeloni
Sirk Bölges 2012, Önce Kitap, Istanbul Münire Turan
Gargling With Tar 2013, Portobello Books, London David Short
רפחלגרגר 2013, Achuzat Bayit, Tel Aviv Pierre Friedmann
Gargară cu gudron 2017, Editura Art, Bucharest Lidia Nasincova
Madedonian edition in progress Antolog, Skopje
1
Zlatá hlava
Het gouden hoofd 2007, Voetnoot Publishers, Antverp Edgar de Bruin
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Chladnou zemí
Kallt Land 2009, Ersatz Publishers, Stockholm Tora Hedin
De werkplaats van de duivel 2010, Ambo Anhtos Publishers, Amsterdam Edgar de Bruin
Die Teufelswerkstatt 2010, Suhrkamp Verlag, Berlin Eva Profousová
Gjennom et kaldt land 2010, Bokvennen Forlag AS, Oslo Kristin Kilsti
Hladna dežela 2010, Cankarjeva založba, Ljubljana Nives Vidrih
Az ördög mühelye 2011, Kalligram, Budapest Péter Koloszár
Hladnom zemljom 2011, Treći Trg, Belgrade Tihana Hamović
L'atelier du diable 2012, Noir sur Blanc, Paris Marianne Canavaggio
L'officina del diavolo 2012, Zandonai, Rovereto Letizia Kostner
The Devil's Workshop 2013, Portobello Books, London Alex Zucker
Por elk pais del frio 2013, Lengua de Trapo, Madrid Kepa Urharte
Warsztat diabla 2013, Wydawnictwo WAB - Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal, Warsaw Leszek Engelking
Atelierul Diavolului 2015, Editua Art, Bucharest Sorin Paliga
Hladnom zemljom 2015, V.B.Z. Zagreb Mirna Stehlíková Durasek
Майстерня диявола 2016, Tempora, Kiev Tetiana Okopna
Цзх д'ябла 2017, Lohvinau Literature House, Vilnius / Belarus Sjarhej Smatryčenka
Gennem et koldt land 2018, Forlaget Silkefyret, Aarhus Lada Halounová
Мастерская дбявола 2019, Knizniki, Moscow Sergej Skorwid
Arabic edition 2019, Al Arabi, Cairo Amr Shatury
Chinese edition 2019, Flower City Publishing HouseAl Arabi, Guangdong Li Hui
Hebrew edition in progress Achuzat Bayit, Tel Aviv
Macedonian edition in progress Magor Publishing, Skopje
Albanian edition in progress Fan Noli, Tirana
Greek edition in progress World Books, Athens
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Citlivý člověk
Ein empfindsamer Mensch 2019, Suhrkamp, Berlin Eva Profousová
Wrażliwy człowiek 2019, Czarne, Sękowa Dorota Dobrew
Una persona sensibile 2020, Keller editore, Rovereto Laura Angeloni
Een gevoelig iemand 2020, Voetnoot publishers, Antverp Edgar de Bruin
Чувствителен човек 2020, ArtConnect, Skopje Sonja Stojmenska-Elzeser
Une personne sensible 2021, Noir sur Blanc, Lausanne Marianne Canavaggio
Osetljivi čovek 2021, Heliks, Belgrade Uroš Nikolić
Osjetljiv čovjek 2022, Aukso žuvys, Vilnius Vaida Braškytė-Nemečkova.
Jautrus žmogus 2022, VBZ, Zagreb Mirna Stehlíková Ðurasek
Arabic edition in progress Al Kotob Khan, Cairo Ghias Mousli
Swedish edition in progress Ramus Förlag, Malmö
1
Cesta do Bugulmy
Die Reise nach Bugulma 2006, Henschel Schauspiel Theater Verlag, Berlin Eva Profousová
Droga do Bugulmy 2006, Wydawnictwo Czarne, Sękowa Leszek Engelking
1
Supermarket sovětských hrdinů
Supermarket bohaterów radzieckich 2005, Wydawnictwo Czarne, Sękowa Leszek Engelking
Bulgarian edition in progress Lektura, Sofia
Dutch edition in progress Voetnoot, Antverp Edgar de Bruin
1
Miluju tě k zbláznění
Bulgarian edition in progress Paradox, Sofia


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