The Polish Hearst
Early Polish immigrants to the United States had a voice — and a lively press to record it. Anna Jaroszyńska-Kirchmann’s new book tells that story. Karen Majewski reviews.
Books
Books
Books
The Polish Underground and the Jews, 1939-1945
Joshua Zimmerman’s groundbreaking book carries out “two fundamental tasks of the historian: restoring the buried sense of historical contingency and recognizing the human proportion of experiences still painfully fresh.” Tom Frydel reviews.
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The Politics of Morality: The Church, the State, and Reproductive Rights in Postsocialist Poland
For a fast forward to the 21st century, Joanna Mishtal’s aptly titled “The Politics of Morality” weighs in on contemporary issues seemingly just as contentious in Poland as in America. Jodi Greig reviews.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 3 — Fall / Books
The Ethnic and Religious Diversity of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth: Still Relevant Today?
Ethnic and religious diversity are now hot topics, something never tried before. Really? The Commonwealth warrants new attention. Thaddeus Gromada provides an introduction.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 3 — Fall / Books / Interviews
Chatting with B.E. Andre, “With Blood and Scars” Author
Justine Jablonska talks to British journalist Bożena Andre about Andre’s new novel, With Blood and Scars, in which Andre takes on that very difficult challenge: combining the personal and the historical in one story. Not easy, when for so long the world refused to acknowledge the historical.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 3 — Fall / Books
The Kingdom of Insignificance: Miron Białoszewski and the Quotidian, the Queer, and the Traumatic
Białoszewski’s works subtly point to the alternative, marginalized, oftentimes unvoiced micro-narratives … showing readers different modes of knowledge and new ways of seeing history and identity. Diana Sacilowski reviews Joanna Niżyńska’s new book.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 3 — Fall / Books
Taking Liberties: Gender, Transgressive Patriotism, and Polish Drama, 1786-1989
In Taking Liberties, Halina Filipowicz examines the portrayals of patriotism and identity of iconic heroes, from Kosciuszko to Plater and Wałęsa, in Polish drama from the 1600s to the present. Highly original, acutely observed study of loyalty and honor manipulated by triumphalism and xenophobia. Reviewed by Diana Sacilowski.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 3 — Fall / Books
Emancipated Women
Poland’s 19th century novelist, Bolesław Prus, not only championed the emancipation of women but – thoroughly modern man that he was – identified the problem beyond manners and mores. It’s the economy, ladies! He was a pretty good storyteller too. Stephanie Kraft translates, Irene Tomaszewski reviews.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 2 — Summer / Books
Marek Hłasko: Killing The Second Dog
All the elements of seasonal hedonism are here – Sea, Sun and Sex – but so are cruelty, indifference and memory, all playing havoc with people’s dreams and hearts. It’s love and death in Tel Aviv.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 2 — Summer / Books
Ross Ufberg and New Vessel Press
Meet a publisher who thinks more European writers should find a spot on American bookshelves. Ross Ufberg and New Vessel Press are rescuing lost literary voices, including that of Poland’s Marek Hłasko.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 1 — Spring / Books
A World Apart
Gustav Herling-Grudziński, Inmate No. 1872, wrote his powerful indictment of the Soviet system of penal camps, the GULAG, not as a description of nations at war, but as a conflict between barbarism and civilization. First published in 1951, this book was quietly but intentionally suppressed for decades.
2015 Vol. 7 No. 1 — Spring / Books
Poland: The First Thousand Years
Patrice Dabrowski’s new history, written with her usual elegant style, refers to Poland with the pronoun “she” – but the Soviet-imposed regime as “it,” notes Nathan Wood, perhaps with a touch of disapproval. Now there’s a great discussion starter.
Books
In Memoriam: Stanisław Barańczak
A much loved, gifted and extraordinarily talented activist and translator, his translations of Polish poetry to English are a joy, and those from English to Polish are a monumental achievement, ranging from almost all of Shakespeare to Dr. Seuss.
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