Prague in Black and Gold

Fifty | Garden | Ninety | Twenty-Five

31 May 2022

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Peter Demetz's Prague in Black and Gold is not just the history of a city, but also a memoir of growing up there, fleeing communism and then returning after its fall. Having recently run and explored the streets of this magnificent city I did not have difficulty placing myself in the streets and Demetz expounded upon the legends, the battles, the kings and queens, scholars and writers. It unfolded as one might expect, but I really did not remember Prague's large role in the reformation. I was also surprised how multiethnic the city was before the industrial revolution, with Czechs, Germans, Jews, Italians and others living there. The book can be a bit slow through some parts, but overall it was an enjoyable read.