Houda Nohavicu nezužoval aneb Kde bývám, když zrovna prší
Harlequin on Trial: Přemysl Houda's Journey Through Jaromír Nohavica's Contradictory

Summary/Abstract: Historian Přemysl Houda follows his previous studies on the social context of folk music in Czechoslovakia during the period of normalization with the biography "Nohavica a jeho naše malá válka" [Nohavica and His Our Little War] (Prague, Rybka Publishers 2023). In this compelling work, Houda traces the story of Jaromír Nohavica (*1953), a celebrated singer, songwriter, and composer whose lyrical talent earned him both widespread popularity and critical acclaim in the 1980s. Although his artistry transcended the country’s political transformation, during communism he faced occasional bans on performing and moral dilemmas that cast a shadow over his current public image. According to the reviewer, the book presents the attractive theme of an artist in the meshes of social and power relations. At the centre of the book is the controversial revelation of Nohavica’s cooperation with the State Security (Státní bezpečnost, StB), a topic that has triggered divided opinions since coming to light twenty years ago. Houda revisits this episode with historical rigor, challenging several entrenched narratives. The reviewer commends Houda’s empathetic and measured approach: rather than condemning or sensationalizing, he strives to understand Nohavica in all his human contradictions, drawing upon a wealth of egodocuments. A particularly resonant metaphor frames the biography: the harlequin, a figure neither black nor white, but vividly coloured, eluding fixed categories. In Houda’s interpretation, Nohavica tried to keep his distance from the establishment at all times and emerges as both hero and deserter, rebel and negotiator. The book transcends biography, ultimately inviting readers to reflect on their own behaviour in morally complex situations.

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