History and the post-truth era

In his writings, Igor Lukeš offers two perspectives – history and politics. He studies 20th-century Czech history with all its catastrophes and myths, alongside contemporary political issues in the Czech Republic, the United States, Russia and on a global scale. He operates on the premise that we can learn from history. While history does not repeat itself, a sufficiently critical, value-based approach allows us to uncover our own mistakes and stereotypes, revealing parallels between the present and the past that are not obvious at first glance.

Lukeš openly champions and supports Western liberal values such as open-mindedness, tolerance, respect for truth, respect for others, decency and humanity. He does not hesitate to call out the actions of politicians and public figures who openly and shamelessly lie, deny facts and thereby create a "post-truth era".

This book is a selection of the author's historical essays, political commentaries and reflections on the modern world from 2004–2021. The texts are divided into several thematic areas in which the author maps the Obama and Trump presidencies, Putin's Russia, Czech statehood, the Cold War, secret services and political ideas. Alongside knowledge and critical insights, the author's engaging style and passion deliver a highly compelling and emotional reading experience.