Prague Between History and Dreams

Prague is one of the
last great European cities where- as Ranier Marie Rilke once
said- things are aware of us.


Join renowned Czech author Vaclav Cilek and artist Barbara Froula for an unforgettable journey through Prague and the Bohemian Countryside!


Prague is Central Europe¿s most beautiful and mysterious city. Below her ancient stones lie secrets and
stories from prehistoric, Celtic, Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque ages. Short of an
actual visit, there is no better way to explore this
legendary city than to settle back with a collection of
paintings of the city and immerse yourself in the
stories of a Czech writer. Those who treasure--or
anticipate-- a visit to the entrancing city of Prague will
find this vision difficult to resist.


Prague is a labyrinth of venerable architecture permeated
with myth and folklore. Dr. Cílek guides us through
the ancient city with a keen respect for her mysteries and legends. Descriptive summaries give details and folklore of the buildings, music, personalities and history of this land.


Barbara Froula¿s passion for capturing the essence of
place has been enlivened in this magical land, and a
collection of over 100 paintings is shared in the pages of
this book. Those who have visited the city will find that
the softness of the images rekindles and enhances their own
cherished memories. The immediacy of the sketches transports
the reader to marble sidewalks traversed by Mozart and
Kafka, Seifert and Smetana. Then we travel to countryside
and villages where we find treasures such as Stones of
Memory, the World Heritage Sites of Telc, Cesky Krumlov, and
more.


..As a Czech expatriate who remained in love with the city where I spent my youth, I want to compliment you on the magical portrait of it and the sensitive text which I find unparalleled with any I have seen about the Golden City... Thank you for the pleasure your art has given me and for rekindling the genius loci for me.-D.Z., Evanston

Prague is indeed a unique place where history and dreams are truly interwoven. There are only a few people who understand the alchemic processes that have resulted in such a bizarre, often paradoxical but wonderful amalgamation. Václav Cílek is definitely one of them, and the soft airiness of Barbara Froula¿s paintings engages the reader in this genuine Central European message.
-His Excellency Martin Palous, Czech Ambassador to the U.S.