We Were a Handfull

This famous Czech humorous novel about the adventures of five boys from a small Czech town is written in the form of a diary kept by Petr Bajza, the son of a merchant. In the midst of World War II, during the most difficult period of his life – before his transport to Auschwitz in 1944 – Czech writer Karel Poláček (1892-1944) recalls his happy youth through the child narrator. The reader discovers the world as seen through the eyes of children, experiencing their everyday adventures and clashes with the incomprehensible world of adults, as well as their fights with neighboring gangs of kids. The charming boyish language is a particularly rewarding source of humor. After more than 60 years, English-speaking readers can now also enjoy Poláček's novel. The book is complemented by original color illustrations by Jiří Grus.