The Ivory Mask

About the Book

The story takes place in three continents, but the visions behind my eyes remain most vivid by the images of Africa, where most of it was written. I still see the hazy sea grey as flint, the laterite ground hardened to brick emanating heat, eternal palms rustling, and people with white smiles everywhere. To this land the three main characters of the story intruded innocently – and almost did not survive. Their rather narrow existence has been transformed by an extraordinary experience. Or was it transformed?

About the Author

Jaroslav (Jarda) C e r v e n k a was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, where he received degrees in medicine and genetics. He immigrated to Minnesota in 1968 in the wake of Russian invasion and was employed by the University of Minnesota as Professor of Medical Genetics, reknown in the field of cytogenetics and dysmorphology, author of “Chromosomes in Human Cancer.” Lived in Kenya, Japan and Nigeria and traveled extensively and intensively in five continents. His thinking and views were influenced mainly by studies of diverse people and their culture, or lack of one. Jarda Cervenka is the author of three collections of stories, “Mal d’Afrique”, “The Revenge of Underwater Man” and “Fausto’s Afternoon”, travel book for children and young adults “Travels of Missi One” and novel “Ambush.” He is the recipient of Richard Sullivan Prize for Fiction, Minnesota Voices Award and The Franz Kafka Award from the European Circle Franz Kafka. Now retired, he and his wife Sasha live near their children Vojta and Tereza in Minneapolis, dividing their time between Florida Keys and Prague.