ROSIE-ON-THE-ROAD by Rosie Goldsmith: Prague. With Martin Krafl

Rosie Goldsmith was invited to Prague Book World 2025, courtesy of the director Radovan Auer and of director of the Czech Literary Centre and Chair of ENLIT Martin Krafl. Rosie asked Martin Krafl to sum up what he saw as this year’s Czech successes and the state of Czech contemporary literature in general.

European Network for Literary Translation

From the website: ENLIT is a network of non-profit organisations which invest in literary translation support programmes to give the literatures of Europe increased visibility internationally and in their respective countries or regions. Members without any translation support programs work with other grant programs and tools to enhance the circulation of translated literature. The ENLIT network was officially launched at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2016. The spring meeting took place in Prague this May 2025, with participants from around 15 countries. The next meeting will take place in Frankfurt am Main in October 2025.

MK: Under my leadership, the ENLIT board works on networking and lobbying throughout the year. For example, in Prague now we met with Creative Europe representatives, with the Director of the Leipzig Book Fair, Astrid Böhmisch, and with EUPL representatives. Furthermore, in Prague I presented ENLIT’s activities to Glenn Micallef, the EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport. We publish details of specific ENLIT events at different book fairs in Europe. These are mostly discussions about the work of, and support for, literary translators. Upcoming events include activities at the Gothenburg Book Fair (Sweden) in September and the Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany) in October.

Czech Literary Centre

From the website: CzechLit is a state-funded organisation supporting and promoting Czech literature abroad and in the Czech Republic. It promotes prose, literature for children and young adults, poetry, drama, comics, non-fiction and new forms of literature; acts as an information hub for foreign publishers, translators, Czech studies specialists, event organisers and others interested in Czech literature; provides grants for authors to attend cultural events abroad; cooperates on international literature and translation projects with partner institutions abroad and in the Czech Republic.

MK: Our strategic plan to focus on English-speaking markets after being the Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2026 is still in the preliminary stages and must be approved by the new Minister of Culture. Parliamentary elections will be held in the Czech Republic in October 2025, after which a new government will be formed. Only then will we finalise the plan.

Jan Musil will join CzechLit in June 2025 as a new colleague responsible for English-speaking territories. Jan Zikmund left in February. Jan Musil will be in touch with English-language colleagues in June or July.
We are planning a publishing trip to London at the end of September this year, where Czech publishers will network with their British counterparts. Our aim is to inspire them to translate more contemporary Czech literature into English. You can find our book recommendations in the ‘New Czech Books 2024’ publication.

The following translations will be available on the English-speaking market in 2025 and 2026:

Parthian Books
They have published an anthology of poetry by Kateřina Rudčenková, Hana by Alena Mornštajnová and Jezero by Bianca Bellová. In 2026, they will publish Neviditelný muž by Bianca Bellová and an anthology of emerging Czech poetry.

Blue Diode Press
They are interested in publishing poems by Jitka Bret Srbová in 2026.

Jantar Publishing
This year, they are publishing Jaroslav Rudiš’s Winterberg’s Last Journey.

Kulturalis London
They have published an English translation of the poetry collection I Saw My Face by Petr Hruška, as well as English and Japanese editions of the comic book Hikobae, featuring the work of Jean Gaspard Páleníček.

Coffee House Press
They are publishing 2025 Radka Denemarková’s Příspěvek k dějinám radosti (Contribution to the History of Joy), and CzechLit is planning a US tour for the author in 2026.

World Editions
They have published A Brief History of the Movement by Petra Hůlová, and will also publish her next novel, The Highest Card.

Graphic Mundi
They are publishing comics by Štěpánka Jislová Bez vlasů (Without Hair) and Srdcovka (Heartthrob). The author will present them in the USA in autumn.