Letters to Olga: June 1979-September 1982

There's an uncomfortable amount of serendipity in my life right now; this is just one example. Details are unimportant but suffice (it ;-) to say that this book made it to me through a long chain of highly improbable events. Had any of those events not taken place, my life would be much poorer now. I'm in a mood right now of deep appreciation for the workings of the Universe. Some musing on the countless chains that never saw completion, some wondering on what those might have brought... but by far I'm overwhelmed with delight about this one. But enough of that.

This is an exquisite work. Admittedly dull at times, impenetrable others (I never could connect with his talk of horizon and Being), but then he goes off on human morality, behavior, weakness, power, responsibility, freedom, and it's like he grabs every speck of your attention and takes you on a ride where for brief moments you feel you truly understand the human condition; ending up breathless, having to close the book, ponder on what you've just read, maybe read it again. Havel's perceptions and insights are exquisite; the way he communicates them is sublime.

This is not an easy work. Havel does not write in sound-bites or memes. It took me some months to get through. It is worth it.