Vaclav Havel

Civic Responsibility in the Postmodern Age

By (author) James F. Pontuso

Publication date:

27 August 2004

Length of book:

192 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Dimensions:

233x178mm
7x9"

ISBN-13: 9780742522558

More than any other public figure, Václav Havel has reflected on the opportunities and dilemmas facing humankind as a result of the Communism's collapse. His life serves as an example of responsible and moral action, even at the cost of much personal suffering.

In the first book to bring together Havel's life and work, James Pontuso examines the Czech president's political philosophy. Pontuso argues that Havel's life as a dissident and political leader, his political writings, and his plays are part of a whole and must be understood as intimately connected to one another. In this engaging work, Pontuso skillfully explores these connections and explains Havel's prescriptions for political life.
James Pontuso shows his remarkable mastery of the many nuances and complexities of Václav Havel´s life and work under the communist and post-communist social and political conditions. His thought-provoking book is important for all those who are interested in basic human values and transformation politics.