Introduction to Prague’s Literary Scene
Prague is inextricably linked to Franz Kafka, one of the most famous German-speaking authors in the world. Kafka was born in the Czech capital in 1883 and continues to attract many visitors to Prague 100 years after his death. Kafka was part of the city’s German-speaking Jewish minority and wrote novels, short stories, and letters in German, including the world-famous "The Metamorphosis" and "The Trial". Fans of the author can explore the various stages of his life on Kafka tours or visit sights such as the Franz Kafka statue, the house where he was born, or the Franz Kafka Museum.
Dan Brown’s Popularity in the Czech Republic
The latest novel by American thriller author Dan Brown, "The Secret of Secrets", has been at the top of bestseller lists worldwide since its publication at the beginning of September. In the Czech Republic, with a population of 10 million, around 120,000 copies were sold in the first week alone – a record. Czechs love Brown’s writing style and the way he handles puzzles. At the launch in the town hall in Prague’s Old Town, people camped out overnight and queued from early in the morning.
Prague Plays a Major Role
Prague is not just the setting for Brown’s novel, it also plays an important role in the book. The city itself is one of the main characters in the story. This is confirmed by Hana Gelnarova, program director at Argo, which edited the Czech edition of the novel. Dan Brown himself says that Prague is one of the main characters in the book. The Czech Republic was one of the first countries in the world where Brown personally presented the book.
Brown’s Love for the Czech Capital
Brown was even invited to Prague Castle by Czech President Petr Pavel. The mayor of Prague, Bohuslav Svoboda, also presented Brown with the key to the city. Brown says his latest release is his most ambitious work to date: "It’s the longest, has the most complex plot and the most characters". He first visited the city in 1984 and says that Prague is one of those places where you stand on Charles Bridge and look at the castle and the towers and feel like you’re in a fantasy film.
Why Brown’s Choice of Prague Isn’t Surprising
For Hana Gelnarova, success was no surprise. Brown has been to Prague several times, and some things fascinated him, and he specifically asked to visit certain places. Most Czech critics were very positive about the book. "’The Secret of Secrets’ is obviously his most ambitious work to date," says literary critic Jana Podskalska. "It uses current findings from the field of neuroscience. It is relatively complex, long, and includes many Prague sights."
A Magnet for Tourists
Prague and the Czech Republic as a whole quickly realized that a Dan Brown bestseller set in the capital had the potential to provide a huge boost to tourism, which has only recently fully recovered from losses during the COVID pandemic. "Dan Brown’s latest book has enormous potential to make the Czech Republic known worldwide," Frantisek Reismüller, director of CzechTourism, told DW. Prague launched a special program of guided tours in Czech and English related to the book. The interest is huge, and these tours take visitors around Prague to the various stops in Dan Brown’s book.
Expected Increase in Tourism
Podskalska says the novel incorporates a surprising number of locations in Prague, including some that are off the beaten tourist path. Janderova expects there will be a second wave of interest in two years when a film adaptation of the novel is scheduled to air on Netflix. Many tourists are already coming to the city due to the many international films being filmed there. How many tourists Dan Brown will attract to the Czech Republic and Prague with his book will only become clear in the coming months. Last year, 12 million foreign tourists visited the country, over 8 million of whom visited the capital.
