Living in Truth: 22 Essays Published on the Occasion of the Award of the Erasmus Prize to Vaclav Havel

Václav Harvel (October 5, 1936 - December 18, 2011) was a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, philosopher and politician. He was the ninth and last president of Czechoslovakia (1989-1992) and the first president of the Czech Republic (1993-2003). He wrote more than 20 plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally. At the time of show more his death he was Chairman of the New York-based Human Rights Foundation. Havel received many recognitions, including the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Gandhi Peace Prize, the Philadelphia Liberty Medal, the Order of Canada, the freedom medal of the Four Freedoms Award, the Ambassador of Conscience Award and the Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award. Havel died in his home in 2011. He was the author of many poetry collections and plays including, The Garden Party, The Beggar's Opera, Mountain Hotel and The Pig. (Bowker Author Biography) show less