It is said that nations, their character, temperament, aspirations and degree of success or failure are the result of their history. In reality, however, it is the other way around, and the history of most nations is formed partly from legends and myths, partly from a biased interpretation of a few truly documented and a few alleged historical events, but mainly from the current consensus to perceive the collective past in such a way as to help create a certain model of the future. History has always been the result of human decision-making about upcoming specific actions. This is governed by how people perceive their past at the time they make decisions. Rewriting history according to one's conception with the intention of changing one's future is a legitimate tool of national survival. Kuras's oldest bestseller, originally written in English with the title Czechs and Balances, transformed over time into an evergreen and updated with a new chapter makes Czech history as simple as throwing it out the window. He dissects our national character with enjoyment and wit and brings both an informative and a highly entertaining view of Czech history.