More than any other public figure, Václav Havel has reflected on the opportunities and dilemmas facing humankind as a result of the collapse of Communism. In Václav Havel: Civic Responsibility in the Postmodern Age, James F. Pontuso argues that Havel's life as a dissident and political leader, his political philosophy, and his plays must be understood as connected to one another. Pontuso skillfully explores these connections and explains Havel's prescriptions for political life.