The second part of the architect Zdeněk Zavřel's memoirs concerns his private life and family background, which, however, are closely connected with his professional career, and thus complement the parallel published professional chronicle Three Lives of an Architect (KANT 2021). The book of personal memories is intended primarily for those who were interested in the first volume, or for those who met the author in person or indirectly.
The deliberate division of memories into professional and private parts helps to illustrate a number of the author's personal decisions related to the changes in society not only in the Czech Republic, but also during his years in exile. Undoubtedly, the occupation in 1968 and its consequences, which we are still dealing with to this day, remain a deep scar in his life. This book also illustrates the fate of a Czech family that finds its place in a different foreign society. It is perhaps a kind of foreshadowing of future destinies, which will be transformed into another and different form under the pressure of changes in national borders and customs.
The final chapters are devoted to the author's contribution to changes in the current Czech university environment and gradual changes in the lives of younger generations.