Book excerpt: In this biography of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1937), the founder of the Czechoslovak republic, and of his son Jan Masaryk (1886-1948), who became foreign minister in the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in London during World War II, the author retraces their lives against the dramatic background of the history of Central and Eastern Europe. “Zeman is sympathetic to his subjects but completely honest in presenting them as men, not myths.” — John C. Campbell, Foreign Affairs “Dr. Zeman draws an interesting portrait of [T.G. Masaryk] the ‘scholar President’, an individualistic, curiously apolitical and yet far-sighted figure... The author has written a sound biography, at its best in the descriptions of Masaryk’s attempts to found the new state.” — Lisanne Radice, International Affairs “Zeman’s portrait of the Masaryks is engagingly written and may be profitably read by the non-specialist.” — Victor S. Mamatey, The American Historical Review