Contemporary Polish writers and their works. "Lviv Mathematical School" Mariusz Urbanek
At all times and on all continents the book - best gift. That is why we want to introduce our readers to five popular Polish writers whose books have been translated into different languages and popular all over the world.
Witold Gombrowicz
Famous Polish writer, native of the village of Maloszyce. Born on August 4, 1904 into a fairly wealthy family. He graduated from the University of Warsaw and also received a master's degree in philosophy and economics in Paris.
Witold has always been distinguished by his strange and unpredictable behavior. In his works, he often ridiculed the stereotypes and ideology of the Polish state of those years. During his life, Witold traveled a lot, worked in Buenos Aires, later returned to Paris and began publishing short essays on Polish language, which were later published in the form of a three-volume Diary. And the famous work “Trans-Atlantic”, where the author half described his own life and experiences, caused a resonance in Paris and was approved by critics.
The stories of Witold Gombrowicz have become extremely popular in Russia. "Pornography" And "Diary". And the play " Yvonne Princess of Burgundy" was staged in many theaters in European countries.
Ryszard Kapuscinski
Polish writer Belarusian origin. Born on March 4, 1932 in Pinsk. He graduated from the University of Warsaw and then worked for the newspaper “Sztandar Młodych” (Banner of Youth), but due to a rather compromising report and inappropriate for the then authorities, he was fired. A few years later, Ryszard got a job at the Polish Press Agency, traveled a lot, collected interesting reports, and also collaborated with the Parisian magazine “Culture”.
Henryk Sienkiewicz
Perhaps the most famous writer Poland, whose name is known to many residents of Eastern European countries.
Born on May 5, 1846 in Wola Okrzejska, at a time when this part of Poland belonged to Russian Empire. The boy grew up in a family of impoverished nobility, his father came from the Tatars, his mother was from the Belarusian nobility.
After graduating from the Warsaw Gymnasium, Henryk entered the Faculty of History, Philology and Medicine at the University of Warsaw. While still a student, Henrik is gaining popularity in journalistic circles. His essays are published in the magazine “Weekly Review”, “Gazeta Polskaya”, as well as in the weekly “Niva”.
In the works of Henryk Sienkiewicz there were different directions. He loved to describe the life of ordinary peasants, difficult times for the Polish gentry, and also learned the basics of psychology and self-analysis.
His famous works are considered Polish classics. And in neighboring countries they are even included in school curriculum and analyzed by young readers: With fire and sword, Flood, Pan Volodyevsky, Crusaders, Whirlpools, Old servant, Letters from travels, Bright music, From the diary of a Poznan teacher, For bread, etc.
Stanislav Lem
Polish philosopher, and part-time writer, satirist, critic and science fiction writer.
Born on September 12, 1921 in Lvov, in the family of an otolaryngologist. He graduated from one of the Lviv gymnasiums, and later studied medicine at Lviv University.
Even though Lem's family had Jewish roots, they still managed to avoid exile in the ghetto. After World War II, Stanislav went to one of the oldest higher educational institutions Krakow, where he continued to study medicine and prepared to become a military doctor. However, he never received his degree, because... at the very last moment refused to take the final exams and became a military doctor.
Already in 1946, the works of Stanislaw Lem began to be published. And fame comes to the author after the release of the novel “Astronauts,” which caused a resonance and brought success to the aspiring writer.
It is worth noting that Stanislaw Lem’s books have been translated into the languages of 41 countries.
Most famous works Stanislava: Man from Mars, Hospital of Transfiguration, Dialogues, Eden, Solaris, Fairy Tales of Robots, Invincible, Imaginary Magnitude, Peace on Earth and others.
Janusz Leon Wisniewski
Famous modern Polish writer. Born August 18, 1954 in ordinary family, father is a driver, and mother worked in her own store all her life.
Graduated maritime school in Kołobrzeg, where he received a diploma as a seafarer. After which he entered the University of Torun, where he studied physics. Janusz currently lives in Frankfurt am Main, where he writes his famous novels.
Success came to the writer in 2001 after the release of the novel "Loneliness on the Internet" which was immediately approved by the public, the books were translated into many languages of the world and even a film was made. Storybook "Mistress" I also liked it modern readers and had big success. “Martina”, “Repetition of Fate”, “Why Men Are Necessary”, “Bed”, “Scenes from Married Life”, “Grand”- all these works gain popularity and are published in different corners peace.
As we see, every country has its own outstanding people, which is admired by the whole world. That is why, if you have a free minute, be sure to read one of the novels of famous Polish writers.
The Ukrainian classic of literature wrote in one of his poems that one should learn both one’s own and that of others. These words of Taras Shevchenko should be taken not so much as a general parting word, but as specific advice to everyone who is studying a foreign language today.
To successfully enter another cultural space you need not only to speak the language, but also to know the heritage of this country. Therefore, "Rozmovlai" selected the names of the best contemporary Polish writers. If you accidentally remember the works of these authors, you will immediately enter the close circle of friends of any Pole.
Soul-chilling riddles
If you like books that increase the adrenaline rush, and the brain is actively looking for a solution, then modern Polish literature is replete with a number of authoritative names.
Marek Krajewski- the writer’s work combines elements of black detective and horror. The novel "Śmierć w Breslau" has already been translated into 18 languages, and was published in 2016 A new book author called "Mock".
Zygmunt Miłoszewski- the most bright name in the world of the Polish detective. Horror "Domofon", a series of novels about Commissioner Szacki "Uwikłanie", "Ziarno prawdy", thriller "Bezcenny" and many other novels await the reader on the bookshelves.
Katarzyna Bonda- the writer introduced a new type of hero into the Polish detective story. Hubert Meyer, a police psychologist who helps solve criminal cases, has become a favorite character of modern Polish readers. This character appears in the novels "Sprawa Niny Frank", "Tylko martwi nie kłamią" and "Florystce", as well as occasionally in "Okularnik".
Remigiusz Mróz- the novel “Rewizja” stands out for its multidimensionality, because it forces you to solve more than one riddle. In 2016, the writer became a laureate of the leading Polish prize for the novel “Kasacja”.
About feelings and relationships
If detective stories are not your thing, you can easily find authors who create more sensual literature. Polish writers of this genre will not only delight you with high-quality texts, but will also enchant you with their varied stories.
Janusz L. Wiśniewski- the author stands out with an interesting look at the feelings between a man and a woman. Our readers know the writer thanks to the novel "Samotność w sieci", but why not read good book in original. Released in 2016 new novel"Udręki braku pożądania".
Krystyna Mirek- The books of this writer are special in that they always have a happy ending. We recommend the novel “Hunting for Butterflies” - a smile after reading is guaranteed!
Or maybe we can dream up?
If you love science fiction or fantasy, then Polish authors have proven themselves to the maximum in this area. Books of this genre have long gone beyond the borders of Poland, and we're talking about not only about the iconic Stanislaw Lem.
Andrzej Sapkowski- it is this writer who is today an authority in the world of Polish science fiction. Andrzej Sapkowski is the creator of the Witcher character, based on which films, comics and computer games. The writer’s work is rich, but you can start with “Wiedźmin”, “Krew elfów”, “Sezon burz”.
Andrzej Pilipiuk- author of a series of satirical and mystical stories about Jakeb Wendrovich, which captivated readers around the world. Andrzej is considered the creator of the social-satirical trend in Polish science fiction. We recommend "Czarownik Iwanow", but you should also pay attention to the 2016 book "Konan destylator".
Jacek Piekara- the work of this writer is popular among readers and recognized among literary critics. It’s worth starting your acquaintance with the debut story “Wszystkie twarze szatana”, also don’t miss “Labirynt”, “Łowcy dusz”, etc.
These are just a few interesting authors of modern Poland. "Rozmovlyai" recommends it, as you will not only have a good time reading their works, but you will also be able to easily find mutual language with the Poles! "Rozmovlyai" guarantees! For anyone who plans to connect their life with literature, we recommend
The literary connection between Russia and Poland should begin, perhaps, with Adam Mickiewicz. But in Russia he is traditionally known not so much for his poems and poems, but for the fact that he was friends with Pushkin. What can we say about two other great representatives of Polish romanticism - Juliusz Słowacki and Sigismund Krasinski, whom we practically do not know.
But in the second half of the 19th century, Russians read the novels of one of the first Nobel laureates, Henryk Sienkiewicz, as well as Boleslaw Prus and Eliza Orzeszko. On turn of the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, the historical chronicles of Kazimir Waliszewski were very popular.
Without much success they tried to understand the epics of another Nobel laureate, Vladislav Reymont. But the minds of Russian speakers, more precisely, Soviet people By that time, a completely different Pole, Stanislav Lem, was firmly in control.
In 1980, the remarkable Polish poet and essayist became the Nobel laureate Czeslaw Milosz, which pleased the small number of his fans in the USSR. But Ioanna Khmelevskaya enjoyed real success with Soviet readers at that time.
Who else? Brilliant satirist Stanislav Jerzy Lec. The tragic Janusz Korczak. Science fiction by Jerzy Zulawski. Poet Julian Tuwim. Prose writer Yaroslav Ivashkevich. Historical novelist Jan Parandovsky...
In general, in Soviet years when from foreign authors preference was given to writers from fraternal countries, Poland occupied, perhaps, the first place in this series. In the 70s, the “Library of Polish Literature” series was published: “Polish poets”, “Polish short stories”, “Modern Polish stories”, monographic collections...
In the 90s, when the previously existing prohibitions collapsed, publications by Polish masters, impossible in previous times, happened - Witold Gombrowicz, Stanislaw Witkiewicz, Marek Hlasko, Slawomir Mrozhek. IL continued to regularly publish works by Polish authors. Sometimes some publishing houses turned their favorable attention to the literature of modern Poland. In the 2000s, “Foreign Woman” released “Songs of Drinkers” by Jerzy Pilch, the first novel of young Dorota Maslowska “The Polish-Russian War under the White-Red Flag”, “ABC” - “Apocrypha of Aglaia” by Jerzy Sosnowski, and most recently “Text” published prose of the Polish classic Tadeusz Ruzewicz, whom we previously knew mainly as a poet and playwright.
Meetings of Russian readers with Polish writers
It is difficult to imagine a real writer who would be completely detached from outside world and is closed from its reader. Only a constant dialogue with the “listener” of the author’s thoughts will help to establish a close connection and mutual understanding between the writer and the reader. Polish writers are perhaps no exception here. The 21st century has opened the window into mysterious world Polish literature. Polish seasons in Russia, book fairs, meetings - all this brings us closer to culture " Slavic brother", arouses interest and contributes to the formation of closer literary and cultural ties.
Polsky has been operating in Moscow since 1988 Cultural Center, which conducts wide, varied and multifaceted activities with the aim of popularizing Polish science and culture. The PCC organizes: presentations of the best Polish films, concerts, art exhibitions, meetings with leading Polish scientists, journalists, writers and cultural figures. To date, thanks to this center, such people have visited our country famous personalities Polish culture, such as A. Dravich, T. Ruzewicz, K. Penderecki, H. Czerny-Stefanska, M. Foltyn, A. Wajda, K. Zanussi, K. Kuts and others.
The year 2005 in Moscow passed under the sign of Poland. “Polish season in Moscow” - a series of major art exhibitions and vernissages that took place here from spring to autumn. In contrast to the development of political relations, the development of cultural relations between Poland and Russia is more progressive, because the result of the latter is something indestructible - books. Poland and its associated associations are beginning to be perceived by Russians in a new context, becoming part of our cultural reality. If only five years ago there was not a single book publication in our country by contemporary Polish authors - neither the young nor the middle generation - now publishers are willing to print the latest Polish literature. A modern Polish writer can now not only be read, but also seen. This opportunity is provided primarily by book fairs.
Among the writers brought to the Non-fiction fair, there were two prominent representatives younger generation Polish literature. This is Slawomir Schuty, who realizes himself in various fields of activity (literature, photography, music, cinema, art projects). And the second hero is Michal Witkowski (“Lubevo”). From the generation of forty-year-olds, the guest of September 2006 was Jerzy Sosnowski, the author of action-packed bestsellers and books in other genres, as well as a famous literary critic. In December, Olga Tokarczuk, winner of various awards and the most frequent Polish guest at foreign fairs, visited us. In conclusion of the review of the “Polish” year in Moscow, it remains to talk about one more guest, Cezary Wodzinski. Among all the authors still brought to Moscow by the Institute of Books, he was the only one who represented modern Polish philosophical thought.
But this is not the first step towards Poland. Book seasons have taken place before. In 2001, Tadeusz Ruzewicz, a classic and legend of Polish poetry, came to Russia. The noisy discovery of one of the seasons was the book of Dorota Maslowska, whose novel about the life of young people “The Polish-Russian War under the White-Red Flag” became a sensation. Another notable event, which also deserves special mention, was the award of the most prestigious Polish literary prize national award“Nike 2004” to the young writer Wojciech Kuczok. It's nice that both of these authors came to the Moscow Fair.
In 2002, Joanna Khmelevskaya came. She is, perhaps, the only example, apart from Stanislaw Lem, of the unprecedented popularity of a modern Polish Author among Russian readers; we have even more fans of Khmelevskaya’s talent than in the writer’s homeland. Together with Chmielewska, Magdalena Tully, Dorota Terakovska, Katarzyna Grochola, and Krystyna Janda visited us.
In 2003, Janusz Glowacki, Manuela Gretkowska and Tadeusz Konwicki visited Moscow. Glowacki is a writer, playwright, one of the few Polish authors who managed to conquer not only Poland, but also the West. Gretkowska is a representative of the feminist wave in Polish literature, the author of plot and essayistic prose, Konwicki is a significant Polish writer of the second half of the twentieth century, the author of socially oriented psychological novels.
In 2004, five writers visited Moscow at once. These are Stefan Hwin, Pawel Hülle, Antoni Libera, Zbigniew Kruszynski and Adam Wiedemann. Hvin is an adherent of benign classical genres and classical philosophical questions, Hülle is a subtle stylist who plays literary traditions, Libera is the creator of an adventurous and educational novel based on historical and cultural material, Krushinsky is a moral writer demonstrating the social picture modern society, and finally Wiedemann is a deeply antisocial philosopher who slightly makes fun of his subjects - a “banalist”.
It is quite obvious that both Russian criticism and the ordinary Russian reader are becoming increasingly interested in Poland. This is noticeable in the lively reaction of the audience and the actively selling books. All this makes it possible to assume that the coming years will present even more Polish books, and meetings with Polish writers will continue, and, perhaps, some new forms of Russian-Polish literary and cultural dialogue will emerge.
Polish writers may not be so well known to Russian readers. However, the classical layer of literature of this country is very original and especially dramatic. Perhaps this is due to tragic fate Polish people, many centuries of conquest and division of lands, with the Nazi invasion, the destruction of the country and its difficult restoration from the ruins.
However, Polish writers are also known to us on the other hand, as the brightest representatives such popular genres as science fiction and ironic detective. Let's talk about the most notable Polish writers of the 20th and 21st centuries, whose fame went beyond the borders of their native country.
Sienkiewicz Henryk
At the end of the 19th century, Sienkiewicz became the most famous Polish writer. Books by Polish writers are not often awarded major world prizes, but in 1905 Sienkiewicz received one for his entire literary work.
One of his most famous works is the historical saga “With Fire and Sword,” which tells about the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1894, he wrote his next landmark work, Quo Vadis, in the Russian translation “Kamo Gryadeshi”. This novel about the Roman Empire secures Sienkiewicz's fame as a master historical genre in literature. To this day, this novel remains very popular and is translated into various languages. His next work was the novel “Crusaders” about the attacks of the Teutonic Order on Poland.
With the outbreak of World War I, Sienkiewicz went to Switzerland, where he died in 1916 and was buried there. Later his remains were reburied in Warsaw.
Lem Stanislav
The Polish futurist writer is familiar to the whole world. His pen includes such famous works, like “Solaris”, “Eden”, “Voice of the Lord” and others.
He was born in 1921 in the city of Lviv, which was then Polish. During the German occupation, he miraculously escaped the ghetto thanks to fake documents. After the end of World War II, he moved to Krakow under the repatriation program, where he studied to become a doctor. In 46, Lem published his first story, and already in 51 his debut novel “Astronauts” was published, which instantly made him famous.
All the writer’s work can be divided into several groups. One is serious works in the spirit of science fiction. The other was written by him as a satirical writer. These are grotesque works such as “Cyberiad” and “Peace on Earth”.
Gombrowicz Witold
This is a Polish playwright from the 50s-60s of the 20th century. His first major novel, “Ferdydurka,” created a great resonance. He shared forever literary world Poland on fans and critics of his work, among whom were other Polish writers.
A month before the start of World War II, Gombrowicz sails on a boat to Argentina, where he experiences exile terrible years war. After the end of hostilities, the writer realizes that his work has been forgotten at home, but it is not easy to gain fame abroad either. Only in the mid-50s did his old works begin to be reprinted in Poland.
In the 60s, his popularity returned, largely thanks to the new novels “Cosmos” and “Pornography”, which were published in France. In the history of world literature, Witold Gombrowicz remained a master of words and a philosopher, who more than once entered into an argument with history.
Vishnevsky Janusz
Few contemporary Polish writers are as famous in the world as Janusz Wisniewski. Despite the fact that he now lives in Frankfurt am Main, his works are always colored by the unique charm of Polish prose, its drama and lyricism.
Vishnevsky’s debut novel “Loneliness on the Internet” about virtual love literally blew up the world. For three years the book was a bestseller, it was filmed and translated into many languages.
Khmelevskaya Ioanna
The works of Mrs. Khmelevskaya are not considered high true literature, and it’s not surprising, because her genre is - However, one cannot deny her fame. Khmelevskaya’s books became so popular not only because of the intrigue and clever twists detective stories, but also the charm of its heroes. main character many books were copied from the author - brave, ironic, smart, gambling, Mrs. Joanna did not leave anyone indifferent. Khmelevskaya copied the rest from her friends, relatives and colleagues. By the will of her imagination, many became victims or criminals and, as they later noted with a laugh, could not get rid of the imposed image.
Her own life gave her a lot of stories - romance novels, dizzying meetings, travel and much less pleasant events of the Second World War, the occupation of Warsaw, the difficult economic fate of the country. All this brought into her books that living language and sharp humor that spread far beyond the borders of her native country.
Four Polish writers have won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Who are they and who might be next? Since establishment Nobel Prize in literature in 1901, Polish writers became its laureates four times. If the Nobel Prize in Literature were a competition between teams different countries, Poland would have ranked eighth, behind Sweden, Italy, Russia and Spain and ahead of Ireland, Norway and Japan. If we add writers born in Poland, the list would be much longer. It would also include such names as: Shmuel Joseph Agnon (born in Buczacz, wrote in Hebrew), Bashevis-Singer (born in Leontzin, wrote in Yiddish) and Günter Grass (born in Gdansk, wrote in German). And we will limit ourselves to those who wrote in Polish.
1905: Henryk Sienkiewicz
Contrary to popular belief, Henryk Sienkiewicz did not win the Nobel Prize for his 1896 epic novel about ancient Rome, Quo Vadis. The reason for this error lies in the enormous popularity of the novel. The jury awarded Sienkiewicz the Prize for “ outstanding talent epic writer", and when Carl David af Wiersen, secretary of the Swedish Academy, presented him with the award, he several times emphasized the importance and significance of another work of Sienkiewicz - "Deluge" ("Deluge"). This historical trilogy, set in 17th-century Poland during a time of great historical upheaval, celebrated the Sarmatian tradition and nourished Polish patriotic hopes. In his speech at solemn ceremony Sienkiewicz emphasized that the Nobel Prize has special meaning for the son of Poland - a country that at that moment was not even on the map. The writer said in particular: They say that Poland is dead, exhausted, deprived of will, and here is proof of its life and triumph. I would like to exclaim, like Galileo, “E pur si muove” - now that the whole world has witnessed the recognition of Poland’s achievements and its genius.
1924: Reymont
Interestingly, in the early 1920s, one of Reymont’s main “Nobel” rivals was another Polish writer, Żeromski. Moreover, many believed that Żeromski had a better chance of winning the Prize, and the harsh criticism that fell upon him after the release of his allegedly anti-German novel 1922 “Wind from the Sea”, together with the Germanophilia of the Swedish jury, brought Reymont ahead. The winner beat out such favorites as Thomas Mann (he had to wait another 5 years for his Prize), Maxim Gorky and Thomas Hardy. Reymont received the Prize for his four-volume "great national epic", which presented one year in the life of the peasants of a small village near Lodz. The novel was written in 1901-1908, and the Swedish translation appeared only in 1921 (another famous novel Reymont's "The Promised Land" - for which Andrzej Wajda was nominated for an Oscar - was transferred a year earlier). At that moment, Reymont was being treated in Nice and was unable to arrive in Stockholm on time for the Award ceremony, as his health condition had deteriorated sharply. The writer died the following year in Poland at the age of 58. Shortly before his death, he wrote in a letter to a friend: What an irony: a Nobel Prize, money, worldwide fame - and a man for whom the need to undress becomes torture. Here it is, the quintessence of the irony of life.
1980: Czeslaw Milosz
Sweden, Nobel Prize ceremony, 1980. Czeslaw Milosz receives the Nobel Prize from the hands of the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. The awarding of the 1980 Nobel Prize in Literature to Czeslaw Milosz was regarded as a political move. The jury's decision to award the Prize to a Polish emigrant poet (Milosz fled to the West in 1951 and lived in the United States since 1960) in the same year as the Polish trade union movement Solidarity appeared, was interpreted as a gesture of Western support political changes in the socialist camp. Political notes are also palpable in the motivation for this decision: the prize is awarded to the poet who “with courageous clairvoyance showed the defenselessness of man in a world torn apart by conflicts.” At that time, Milosz was known in the West primarily as the author of “the enslaved mind.” However, this point of view is unfair, since Milos - perhaps more than any other Polish Nobel laureates, - deserved this Prize precisely for literary creativity. In his Nobel speech, Milos avoided political topics. Instead, he made the main figure of his speech Nils Golgerson, the main character of " Wonderful trip Nilsa with wild geese» by Selma Lagerlöf, Milosz's favorite book as a child. According to Milos, this a little boy who travels on the back of a goose and looks at the world with long distance, and at the same time notices the smallest details, symbolizes the role of the poet. Expanding on this metaphor and reflecting on his favorite writers, Simon Veilly and William Blake, Milosz expressed his poetic credo: Thus both the Earth seen from above in the eternal now and the Earth in restored time can serve as material for poetry. Sixteen years after Czeslaw Milosz was awarded the Nobel Prize, the Polish poetess became its laureate.
Wislawa Szymborska
She received the award “for poetry that describes historical and biological phenomena with utmost accuracy in the context of human reality.” Compared to Milosz, Szymborska may seem like a poet of lesser intellectual stature and ambition. Her sphere is everyday life, small joys and sorrows an ordinary day, and all this with warm irony, became distinctive feature her poetry. The poetess, known for her modesty and reluctance to publicity, was initially shocked by the media frenzy in connection with her being awarded the Nobel Prize (it is said that her first reaction was: “Lord, why? ...”). And yet she managed to survive the Nobel fuss (or, in her words, the Nobel tragedy) with her characteristic charm and intelligence. She started her Nobel speech words: “When you give a speech, the first phrase is considered the most important. So I’m already behind it...” For the next fifteen years until her death in 2012, Szymborska rarely appeared in public, leading a rather secluded life—apart from her interactions with friends and people close to her—. Who is next? For many years, Ruzhevich and Konvitsky were on the list of candidates for the Nobel Prize. With their deaths (in 2014 and 2015), the chances of Polish literature decreased. One of the favorites continues to be the Polish poet Adam Zagajewski, and in Lately In the context of the Nobel Prize, they started talking about Olga Tokarczuk.