Peter Pišťanek’s debut book Rivers of Ba-bylon (1991) has become a cult work in just two decades. The absurd, grotesque, but also cruel story of ordinary boiler man Rácz is a modern parody fairy tale, a mystifying and ironic testimony, especially the distorting mirror of thought and post-revolutionary conditions of the 90s. Country simpleton Rácz with common-sense and a great desire for money and love suffers a series of coincidences and accidents and also happens to work his way up in the big city from the position of Ambassador Hotel boiler man to Director. He gains influence over a whole microcosm of profiteers, dubious traders, taxi drivers, thieves, prostitutes, underhand moneychangers and former secret police agents. He thereby builds up his territory and his monopoly - which will also eventually control the political structure. Rivers of Babylon is gentle and brutal, packed with viciousness, disturbing and exciting at the same time, the writing carries the reader into large apocalyptic mourning. Sensual, provocative and current writing. A novel about the perverse times in which we live.

Running time: 1 hrs 50 mins with no interval