In surely one of the most significant and most beautiful classics of Czech literature, Božena Němcová (1820–1862) tells the story of a good-hearted and loving grandmother, who comes to live at her daughter’s country home. Full of wisdom, she helps bring up the children and look after house and home. The author skilfully blends accounts of old Bohemian customs and ways, with memories of her own childhood in the Aupa Valley, now known as “Grandmother’s Valley”, not far from the Giant Mountains. The story of Viktorka, the farmer’s daughter left emotionally disturbed by her tragic love affair, who now lives with the wild animals in the forest is particularly affecting.

For generations of readers, the Grandmother has been in­extricably linked with the classic pictures by Czech illustrator Adolf Kašpar (1877–1934). His watercolours and ink drawings have been carefully restored for this edition, making it a true work of literary art.

“.... one of the loveliest female characters in world literature.”

(Kindler’s Literary Encyclopaedia)