New monograph by dr Kamila Woźniak now available
The University of Wrocław Press has published a new scientific monograph by dr Kamila Woźniak from the Department of Bohemian Studies at the University of Wrocław, titled: “Rozłóżcie plan miasta, wszystko tam jest nakreślone. Praskie topografie Milady Součkovej”.
The publication reveals a less obvious side of Prague—not the one known from guidebooks and tourist postcards, but a city woven from memory, narratives, and the history of everyday life. It offers a perspective on the Czech capital through the lens of literature, where urban space becomes a carrier of emotions, memories, and collective experience.
The guide through this world is Milada Součková, one of the most intriguing Czech modernist writers. In her prose, childhood memories, family stories, and micro-narratives about the city intertwine with the grand history of the Czech nation. As a result, the Prague depicted in the book acquires a unique depth—becoming a place that is simultaneously real and symbolic, private and communal.
In this literary Prague, we encounter café regulars, artists and intellectuals, attendees of balls and city scandals, horse-racing enthusiasts, and the elegant strollers of the Vinohrady district. It is from such scenes, details, and everyday observations that the pulse of the city emerges.
The monograph also uncovers fascinating details from the life of old Prague. Readers will discover, among other things, where the best coffee was served, who sold it on Charles Bridge, where the best dancing lessons were held, and how the city’s residents experienced the landmark year of 1918, when independent Czechoslovakia was born.
It is in these small details—gestures, fashion, street sounds, and the movement of the crowd—that the true life of the city is revealed. Grand history meets the history of everyday life, and Prague appears as a space of memory, emotion, and imagination.
The author encourages a mindful look at urban topography. One need only imagine Karolina Světlá Street—an inconspicuous side street off Národní třída. Stop for a moment, listen to the sounds of trams, conversations, and footsteps, and then try to see the same place in 1918: a cheering crowd, hats tossed in the air, laughter, emotion, and the moment when history passes through the city, leaving an indelible mark.
“Rozłóżcie plan miasta, wszystko tam jest nakreślone. Praskie topografie Milady Součkovej” is a book that prompts exactly this kind of look at Prague—attentive, tender, and full of imagination.
The publication will soon be available at bookstores such as Tantis, Świat Książki, Tania Książka, Gandalf, and Empik.
Notably, the monograph includes a unique city map, allowing readers to embark on their own literary expedition through Prague.
Publication date: 9 March, 2026
Published by: MJ
Translated by Aleksandra Brzeska (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
