I Served the King of England Signed First Edition Reference

Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále (written 1971, published in samizdat; first official Czech edition 1989; English: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989) follows Dítě, a small, ambitious waiter who works his way up through the great hotels of pre-war Czechoslovakia, collaborates with the Germans, becomes a millionaire, and loses everything under Communism. The novel is Hrabal’s most expansive narrative — a picaresque comedy that encompasses Czech history from the First Republic through the Communist era.

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed English first (HBJ): $75–$200
• Unsigned English first: $10–$25

Menzel’s 2006 film adaptation brought renewed attention. The novel is the most accessible Hrabal text — funny, fast-moving, and rich with historical detail.