Peter Pišťanek

The book was followed by the sequels Wooden Village (1994) and End of Freddy (1999). Two more of Pišťanek's works were adapted to film, both by Juraj Nvota: his short story "Muzika", which won Best Film at the Sun in a Net Awards in 2008, and his novel Rukojemník – Lokomotívy v daždi, in 2014. Pišťanek committed suicide on 22 March 2015.

• Name — Peter Pišťanek • Born — 28 April 1960 • Birthplace — Devínska Nová Ves, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia • Died — 22 March 2015 • Place of death — Bratislava, Slovakia • Occupation — Author • Language — Slovak • Notable Works — Rivers of Babylon

In the 1980s, Pišťanek was a co-founder and drummer in the music group Devínska Nová Vec, named after the Bratislava borough where he was born in 1960. He also published stories in the magazine Slovenské pohľady. He briefly studied dramaturgy and screenwriting at VŠMU but did not finish his studies. Before publishing his first novel, Rivers of Babylon, in 1991, Pišťanek held a variety of jobs, including as a machinist in a Slovnaft oxygen factory, a parking lot attendant, in the advertising industry, and eventually in publishing. After the Velvet Revolution, he became editor-in-chief of the Tele-Video-Relax magazine, and from 1996, he was a web designer at Gratex International as well as editing the online magazine inZine.

Pišťanek published his first novel, Rivers of Babylon, in 1991 (an English edition came out in 2007, translated by Peter Petro). In 1998, it was adapted into a feature film of the same name by director Vladimir Balco, with music by Jaroslav Filip and a minor role by Pišťanek himself. It was followed in 1994 by the sequel Wooden Village, and in 1999, End of Freddy wrapped up the trilogy about Rácz, a village gangster who emerges in the fall of 1989 as communist rule is disintegrating in Czechoslovakia. In 2007, Juraj Nvota adapted Pišťanek's short story "Muzika" into a film of the same name, which also included an appearance by the author. The production won Best Film at the Sun in a Net Awards that year. In 2014, Pišťanek published the novel Rukojemník – Lokomotívy v daždi, which was again adapted by Nvota for the screen, with yet another cameo by the author. Pišťanek was also an active writer about the alcoholic beverage industry, providing his insight and humour on both spirits and wines.

On 22 March 2015, Pišťanek committed suicide.

Peter Pišťanek is recorded with the occupation opinion journalist. Recorded as writer, opinion journalist, screenwriter and traveler.