I. A rather unconventional childhood -- How i began -- literature and memory -- The sprit of Prague -- II. The poverty of language -- The end of civilization -- Salt-more valuable than gold -- Hope -- Heroes of our time -- Recipe for happiness -- A Brief meditation on Garbage -- on conversations with journalists -- On honesty -- III. The Powerful and the powerless -- Culture vs. totalitarianism -- The beginning and the end of totalitarianism -- Czexhoslovakia : a premature obituary -- IV. On the literature of secular faith -- Our tradition and the limits of growth -- The Swords are approaching : Franz Kafka's Sources of inspiration

1. Klima
2. Ivan
3. Authors
4. Czech -- 20th century -- Biography
5. Klíma
6. Ivan -- Translations into English
7. Prague (Czech Republic) -- Civilization