Place in the Crowd (1964)

The satirical story "How to Temper Steel" shows how the work of the so-called unionists is affected by the ubiquitous agitation: a 16-year-old student is charged with campaigning for the timely completion of agricultural work, but even the union officials do not take him seriously. The lyrical story of "The Place" introduces young Prague students on a hop brigade, their encounter with their first love and their efforts to join the society. The last story, entitled "The Optimist", tells the story of a shy and awkward boy who suffers ridicule and misunderstanding from others on an agricultural brigade, but eventually discovers that his co-workers like him.