Czech Studies

If Don Quixote tried to duel with the Czech education system, he would humbly return to the windmills in a few hours. Tereza, a Czech language student, is convinced of that, too, as her life is made a living hell by bureaucracy and a despotic principal. Fortunately, she has like-minded colleagues, open-minded students and a Wizard who conjures up peace of mind more reliably than Neurol. With their help, she ventures into the world of stories... and her journey to the Holy Grail and Mount Doom takes her to unexpected places. This powerful story about the professional and personal struggles of a Czech language teacher is inspired by the many years of Veronika Valíková's work as a writer at several grammar schools. The situations into which the protagonist finds herself are absurd, tragic and comic. The author describes the life of a teacher, wife and mother in all its forms.