The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain is a memoir by Peter Sís, a Czech-American author and illustrator, detailing his childhood in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War. The book recounts Sís’s life behind the Iron Curtain, illustrating the restriction and control exerted by the government, and the pervasive fear of surveillance and punishment. It portrays the struggles faced by Sís and his family, and the broader impact on ordinary lives during this period of political unrest. The narrative explores Sís’s journey from a compliant child to a questioning adolescent, influenced by Western culture and events like the Prague Spring of 1968. The memoir is enriched with annotated illustrations, journals, maps, and dreamscapes, capturing the shift from conformity to creativity, despite the oppressive environment.