A Voltairean attack on the political idealism that gave birth to the modern world.

Patrik Ou?ednik was born in Prague, but immigrated to France in 1984 where he still lives. He is the author of twlve books, including fiction, essays, and poems. He is also the Czech translator of novels, short stories, and plays from such writers as Francois Rabelais, Alfred Jarry, Raymond Queneau, Samuel Beckett, and Boris Vian. He has received a number of literary awards for his writing, including the Czech Literary Fund Award. Patrik Ou edn k was born in Prague, but immigrated to France in 1984 where he still lives. He is the author of twlve books, including fiction, essays, and poems. He is also the Czech translator of novels, short stories, and plays from such writers as Fran ois Rabelais, Alfred Jarry, Raymond Queneau, Samuel Beckett, and Boris Vian. He has received a number of literary awards for his writing, including the Czech Literary Fund Award. Alex Zucker is an editor, writer and translator of Czech literature. He has received an English PEN Award for Writing in Translation, a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship and the ALTA National Translation Award. He currently serves as co-chair of the PEN America Translation Committee.