WAITING FOR THE DARK, WAITING FOR THE LIGHT by Klima, Ivan (Translated by Paul Wilson) - 1994

London, England: Granta Books, 1994. First Edition. First Printing.. Hardcover. Fine/Fine Dust Jacket.. London, England: Granta Books, 1994. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First Edition/First Printing. 234 pages. The author's "post-Communist" novel. The first appearance of the title in English and in the United Kingdom. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. The British Edition is superior in terms of production values in every respect. The First Edition is now scarce. Presents Ivan Klima's "Waiting For The Dark, Waiting For The Light" in a felicitous English translation. The first work by the great Czech writer-dissident since the collapse of the former Soviet Union and its satellite countries. For much of his writing life, Ivan Klima's work was banned in his native Czechoslovakia. Set during the Velvet Revolution led by President Vaclav Havel, the novel follows the life of Pavel Fukova, a cynical cameraman for state-controlled TV in Czechoslovakia circa 1989. "Pavel and his cineaste buddy, Peter, attempted to flee the country 21 years ago. Since then, Pavel has sacrificed his dreams one by one on the altar of expediency. Klima's fine prose is as unsettling as his purpose. The handful of scenes in an acrid explosives factory are so gloomy they could have been written by Conrad. Klima may, indeed, be reflecting the Velvet Revolution's darkening heart" (Publishers Weekly). An absolute "must-have" title for Ivan Klima collectors. <B><i>This title is a contemporary classic. This is one of few copies of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing (British) still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: The British Edition is superior in terms of production values in every respect. Copies available online have serious flaws, are subsequent printings, or are remainder-marked. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A scarce copy thus. </b></i> Selected by The New York Times as one of the best books of the year 1994. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER IVAN KLIMA TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). ISBN 0802115748.