Talk and book presentation by Martin Putna

Rus – Ukraine – Russia |
Talk and book presentation by Martin Putna |
Bohemian National Hall, New York,
Monday, October 3, 7 pm EST

Watch HERE

Martin C. Putna is a literary historian, critic, translator, teacher, author of works on history and religion. Former Head of the Vaclav Havel Library, he is currently Professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology at Charles University. His many books include Václav Havel. A Spiritual Portrait in the Context of Twentieth-Century Czech Culture (2011), which explores religious influences on Havel’s thought and won the Tom Stoppard Prize.

An outspoken opponent of pro-Russian, authoritarian, and far-right streams in contemporary Czech society, Martin C. Putna received a great deal of media attention when he ironically dedicated the Czech edition of Russ–Ukraine–Russia to Miloš Zeman—the pro-Russian president of the Czech Republic. This sense of irony, combined with an extraordinary breadth of scholarly knowledge, infuses Putna’s book.

Examining key points in Russian cultural and spiritual history, Russ–Ukraine–Russia is essential reading for those wishing to understand the current state of Russia and Ukraine—the so-called heir to an “alternative Russia.” This book presents Russia as a complex mesh of national, religious, and cultural (especially countercultural) traditions—with strong German, Mongol, Jewish, Catholic, Polish, and Lithuanian influences—a force responsible for creating what we identify as Eastern Europe.

This event is organized by Vaclav Havel Library Foundation in partnership with the Czech Center New York and with support of Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association.