Bohemian Stories - An Illustrated History of Czechs in the USA

Czech immigrants traveled to the unknown beyond the Atlantic in several waves. Some came to America in search of religious and political freedom, while others simply sought a better life in a country of great opportunities. Today we know that without their involvement, independent Czechoslovakia would hardly have come to exist, and without the assistance of the United States, the Czech lands would have twice recovered from totalitarianism only with great difficulty.

In Bohemian Stories, Renáta Fučíková presents a graphic journey through the history of Czechs in the United States, capturing the bonds between the two countries through their lived experience. Short texts and vivid illustrations detail the fates of the cartographer Martin Bohemus, the rebel Vojta Náprstek, the Freethinker Ladimír Klácel; reveal the stories of politicians like Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, Anton Čermák and Madeleine Albright; and celebrate the accomplishments of astronauts James Lovell, Eugen Cernan and John Blaha. Readers join the Czech immigrants as they settle the barren prairies of the Midwest and help build the streets and neighborhoods of Chicago and New York, and experience the success of artists and athletes who found a new home in the United States.

Renáta Fučíková is a renowned illustrator and author of literature for children and young adults and the recipient of numerous prestigious international awards. This book was conceived and supported by the Czech-American community in Chicago.