'Pohoda” - good mood, calm, sunny disposition, coziness of space, peaceful relationships. They are not very fond of the immigration from Asia, and they have their own contingent of skinheads, yet, citing after Szczygiel- in the Czech Republic 'pohoda' is most important. Whereas the Czechs like to laugh and laugh at themselves, are easy going, unassuming, valiant yet easy, the Poles are awfully solemn and full of pathos. He introduces us to an unbelievably colourful cast of Czech characters, who happen to be real people: philosophers, photographers, writers, sculptors, and through them introduces us to the Czech national character, so different from the character of the neighbouring Poland. What fascinates him is not only how the Czechs cope in daily life without God, but also lack of reverence shown to Czech priests and Christian icons- Christ having sex, no first page covers for Pope Ratzinger visiting the Czech Republic, life not religious in any way, not even in the way of burial.

of three of his bestselling books:Gottland(2006),Zrb sobie raj(Make Your Own Paradise. He examines it with tangible and visible disbelief- he is Polish after all. Mariusz Szczygie is a well-known journalist and one of the most. Szczygiel devotes a lot of space to Czech atheism. Author of 20 lat nowej Polski w reportaach wedug Mariusza Szczyga, Gottland, 100/XX, 100/XX, Lska nebesk, Niedziela. Yet, this is how they feel, and this is what they boast of. age Institute together with Pawe Goliski and Mariusz Szczygie. It doesn’t really matter that it’s not entirely true, Estonians and Swedes are.

Now that I’ve read Szczygiel’s collection of essays on Czech people, Make Yourself a Pradise, I must say, I like the Czechs- the self professed most atheist society in Europe.

Zrób sobie raj by Mariusz Szczygieł