Hoffer Celebrated, Novacek Remembered
Today is the birthday of Eric Hoffer (1898 – 1983), working-class philosopher, migratory worker, and longshoreman. He became a social writer, grounded in the practical experience of the common worker, and was the author of ten books. Hoffer was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in February 1983. His first book, The True Believer (1951), was widely recognized as a classic, receiving critical acclaim from both scholars and laymen.
In 2013 The Eric Hoffer Book Award Committee announced Charles Novacek’s Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance was winner of the 2013 Eric Hoffer Award of Honorable Mention in the category of Memoir. Border Crossings was also named a Finalist for three other 2013 Eric Hoffer Awards:The Montaigne Medal for most thought-provoking book, The da Vinci Eye for best cover art, and The Eric Hoffer Grand Prize Award.
The Eric Hoffer Book Award was established internationally in 2001 to honor Hoffer’s memory. “The Award honors freethinking writers and independent books of exceptional merit. Many other top literary prizes will not even consider independent books, but “the Hoffer award continues to be a platform for and the champion of the independent voice.”
The judging committee commented: Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance, Charles Novacek, 1021 Press – In this well-articulated memoir, Charles Novacek pays tribute to the heroes of his past. “My country comes first,” is the lesson young Charles learns from his father. Courageous and inquisitive, our hero comes to age through the horrors of World War II, spends his tumultuous youth fighting Communism, and finds peace in a land away from home. Like many before him, coming to America becomes an act of self- preservation, not an abandonment of the homeland. Part memoir and part history lesson, this book captures a time long gone, with moments of normalcy and love in the midst of suffering and struggle. The passage of years fails to erase the author’s memory of remarkable events, which he recounts in captivating detail. This book makes an important contribution to the literature of World War II and communism in Eastern Europe. Kudos to Sandra Novacek, the author’s “last love,” for entrusting this remarkable personal account to the printer.”
