Jan Němec´s novel A History of Light / Dějiny světla has been published in eleven languages (German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Latvian). For his latest work Lilliputin / Liliputin English world rights have been sold (Seagull Books, India / England). The author received for this novel European Union Prize for Literature and Czech Book Award and was shortlisted for Magnesia Litera in the Prose category and Josef Škvorecký Prize (all in 2014). A History of Ligh is being adapted for the screen by Negativ Film Productions.
Bio:
Jan Němec studied Sociology at the Faculty of Social Studies of Masaryk University and Dramaturgy at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno. His debut was a book of poetry The First Life /První život (2007), followed with the book of short stories Game for Four Hands / Hra pro čtyři ruce (2009). As a journalist, he has worked with Respekt weekly, Czech Television, Czech Radio and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, among others. Currently, he is editor of Host literary monthly and a freelance contributor to Deník N daily. For two years, Jan Němec was a chairman of Czech Writers Association (till the end of 2016).
Jan Němec is a seeker by nature. Drawn to hitherto undescribed places, he looks at the world in a way that reveals depths beneath its surface, and his descriptions of what he sees are never less than evocative.
— Petr A. Bílek, Aktuálně.cz
