Born in à Prague, since the 1980s, Monika Zgustová has lived in Barcelona, where she actively promotes the cause of Czech literature. A regular contributor to such dailies as El País and La Vanguardia, she is also the author of several books including the novel, The Silent Woman, in which she describes the impact of 20th century politcal upheavals in Europe on the lives of its citizens. She is also a translator, and has published a Catalan-Russian dictionary.