Charles Ota Heller

Recently, we completed the final edits of the galley proofs of the Czech-language translation of my memoir, DLOUHA CESTA DOMU (LONG JOURNEY HOME). The first two pages of the book-to-be are blank. They were waiting to be filled by words from the pen of one of the most widely read, and beloved, of Czech contemporary…

There’s no doubt that many people will disagree with me, but in my opinion, the finest living American writer is Pat Conroy. I say this despite — or because of — the fact that every time I read or reread one of his books, Conroy’s prose forces me to realize how inadequate my own writing…

The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library (http://www.ncsml.org/), located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the “center of gravity” of immigrants, and their descendants, from the former Czechoslovakia. The NCSML runs interesting programs throughout the year, has a great online gift shop, and its library is the depository of many valuable books and documents. Despite the…