Welcome to CR’s Fall 2013 Issue!

Photo of Górecko Kościelne, Poland by Sławomir Nowosad

As we admired our favorite photographer’s beautiful Polish sunset, it occurred to us that – to paraphrase a well-known imperial boast – the sun never sets on the Polish diaspora. They are everywhere, in their infinite variety, and what luck we have to stay in touch, even if only virtually.

This issue of CR is largely about Polonia – to use the term that defines all Poles outside Poland – plus a couple of guests, in keeping with the longstanding tradition of Polish hospitality.  So, guests first.

Roy Eaton, a New Yorker who came to Montreal and captured the hearts and imaginations of students at the Quo Vadis conference, won the first Kościuszko Foundation Chopin Competition, but that is but one of many firsts for this gracious and talented man.  His music is a must for fans of Chopin and Joplin.

Staying with music, Justine Jablonska catches up with Katy Carr, not an easy thing to do given the international demand for Katy’s performances.  And check out Katy’s work with British school kids.  For her part, Kinia Adamczyk introduces us to a Montrealer who is a musician, a poet, a writer and a chef, and all of that in Polish, Hebrew, Arabic, German, French and English.  If only he would invite us to dinner!

And speaking of poets, we like to think that Linda Nemec Foster wrote her poem just for us.  She didn’t, except in the sense that it is for all of us.  “I am from America and Poland…”  Yes.

We introduce Agnieszka Tworek who introduces us to the marvelous work of Boston architect and artist, Monika Zofia Pauli.  It’s a feast for the eyes.

Three immigrant stories, each one so different from the next:  one looks back at the very different Canada that welcomed him – sort of – in 1946; another looks at Poland because she knows she didn’t just come out of thin air; and one tells us about his grand world tour – just the thing to broaden one’s education – with great wit and style.

And then there were those clever Poles who by-passed the cold, cold north and headed straight for sunny California.  It was the 150th birthday of the Polish Society that they started.  They couldn’t attend the party but you really must meet them.

Check out the review of the new book about Krystyna Skarbek/Christine Granville.  British author Clare Mulley’s extensive research and obvious admiration for the enigmatic spy is a great read.

Vince Chesney and Stephen Drapaka weigh in with their reviews of some fascinating if misguided, even malevolent, ideas once promoted by people who should have known better.

Finally, all roads lead to Poland.  Another paraphrase of an imperial boast but yes, this road leads to Warsaw, the premiere of Andrzej Wajda’s film, Wałęsa, and Małgorzata Dzieduszycka’s thoughtful review.

CR

CR

CR publishes book + film reviews, interviews, profiles and more. All with a Polish slant, in English.