International library

Josef Škvorecký

A vibrant blend of historical fiction and musical imagination, this exuberant novel follows Antonín Dvořák as his “utterly requited” love affair with young America unfolds—an infatuation that reshapes both his life and his art. Set against the cultural currents of the New World, Dvořák’s journey traces how inspiration, ambition, and human connection converge, culminating in the creation of a work that would come to feel like an anthem. With wit and lyric energy, Josef Škvorecký illuminates the themes of artistic transformation, cross-cultural encounter, and the way music can translate longing into something enduring. Part biography, part celebration, the novel captures the romance of creativity in a style that is lively, accessible, and unmistakably Škvorecký.