Viktorie Hanišová: The Mushroom Gatherer

Why do Czechs love mushrooms so much? And what happens when the forest becomes a refuge from the rest of the world? Join acclaimed Czech novelist Viktorie Hanišová to celebrate the English-language publication of The Mushroom Gatherer (Houbařka), a compelling novel of solitude, family, memory and the longing for human connection. Deep in the Bohemian Forest, Sára lives a life of her own making. For seven years, she has followed the same woodland paths, gathering mushrooms to sell and keeping the rest of the world at a safe distance. Her days are quiet, solitary and meticulously ordered – until the death of her mother begins to unsettle everything she has tried to leave behind. As Sára sorts through her baskets of chanterelles and boletes, she is also forced to confront the memories, wounds and complicated family ties that have shaped her life. The forest offers her freedom and refuge, but it also becomes the place where the past catches up with her. In conversation, Hanišová will explore the novel’s themes of isolation, vulnerability, family and trauma, as well as the distinctly Czech passion for mushroom picking. Viktorie Hanišová is a Czech novelist, translator, and teacher, widely regarded as one of the most distinctive voices of her generation. She studied English and German at Charles University in Prague and debuted in 2015 with the novel Anežka. Her subsequent books include The Mushroom Gatherer (as Houbařka, 2018), Rekonstrukce (2019), the short story collection Dlouhá trať (2020), Beton a hlína (2021), and the novel Neděle odpoledne (2022). Her political novella Tvůj táta je v ohni is forthcoming in 2026. Viktorie Hanišová, The Mushroom Gatherer, translated by Véronique Firkusny, Seagull Books, 2025, 300p Admission: £5 (+ Eventbrite fee) This event is part of the 30th Made in Prague Festival organised by Czech Centre London