The publisher describes the book on its website as a guide “that immerses readers in the rich tapestry of Polish literature and reveals its enduring impact on European identity from the Middle Ages to the late twentieth century”.
It adds: “By exploring key themes, writers, and works and grounding her discussion in crucial biographical context, [the author] weaves together the lives of a carefully curated list of Polish writers to paint a vivid literary portrait, elucidating the epochs that these writers shaped. Offering indispensable insights for readers who may be unfamiliar with the world of Polish literature, it is an excellent jumping-off point for further study and learning”.
Anna Nasiłowska is the author of several biographical studies, devoted to figures such as the French couple Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre; the Polish female poet Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, and the Polish playwright Sławomir Mrożek. She is also a poet and novelist.
Born in England to Polish parents, Anna Zaranko is the winner of the 2023 Found in Translation Award for her translation of Władyslaw Reymont’s Nobel Prize-winning novel, The Peasants.
(mk/aj)