I look around

A collection of columns by the actress and writer Ivanka Devátá

We all look around us. But only some of us have the rare gift of observing the world with truly open eyes, ready to be continually enchanted by the beauty of life, and are able to laugh at its difficulties. Ivanka Devátá is undoubtedly one of those people. This book brings together a collection of her columns, published over several years in print and on the radio. The author talks about matters both profound and simple, the kind we encounter every day. Her gentle humour might offer you a new perspective, and it will certainly delight and amuse you.

The swimsuit was beautiful. At home, I was a little annoyed that the young lady on the tag wearing the swimsuit was much more beautiful than me. But what really made me grumpy was the little note that fell out of the bag with the receipt. It contained advice on how to care for the product. The advice was ominous. Something like: Just you try doing this or that, and you'll see! For example, do not soak the swimsuit in water that isn't cold. (And what if the water is as warm as a bath?) Do not carry it rolled up in a towel. (Am I supposed to drag it behind me on a string?) And finally, the best part: Do not dry it in direct sunlight!

IVANKA DEVÁTÁ

Born on 27/11/1935. She spent her childhood in Brno, moving with her parents to Plzeň in 1950. After graduating from DAMU in Prague, she joined the Realistic Theatre, where she remained for thirty-four years. Audiences will remember her as Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mimi in The Robber, Stáza in Summer, Klásková in The Lantern, or Lízalka in Maryša. She also starred in a number of comedies which, as she says herself, were closest to her nature. She also worked with the radio (for example, as Markétka in Faust and the title role in the fairy tale The Devil and Kate) and television (the very first Czech series, The Bláha Family, Jirásek's Loneliness, Langer's The Conversion of Ferdyš Pištora, etc.). Of the several films she made, The Avenger, directed by Karel Steklý (1959; the character of Márinka), is the one most frequently shown on television. Although she recently played Dr. Božena Wagnerová in the popular television series Very Fragile Relationships and lent her voice to Miss Marple in the British television series of the same name, she has shifted the focus of her work to writing. Her short stories and columns are published in print and broadcast on the radio.