Marta Korycka: I haven’t read all the Christmas tree gifts yet, and there are already so many interesting premieres this year!
Ryszard Kozik: How do we divide books? For him? For her? For them?
Anna Kowal: That this is women’s literature for her, and detective stories about cars for him? No sense. Don’t forget that you once spent a vacation with your grandmother reading the novels of Maria Rodziwiczówna.
Richard: This is how it is to reveal a secret to you. But it was not only “Dewajtis”, “Czahara” and “Between the lips and the rim of the cup”. I had to complete Janusz Meissner, with his air novels and the trilogy “The Tale of the Corsair Jan Marten” … Okay, you convinced me. So we’re just flying species?
Marta: Before we fully begin, let me just mention a book that may remind you of your vacation with your grandmother, Ryszard. In January, the diary of the closest friend, Maria Rodziewiczówna, was published and deposited in the Jagiellonian Library. “Miss on Hruszowa“(MG) about the story of Jadwiga Skirmuntt’s 25-year friendship with the writer. Well, now to the point, okay?
Anna: Agreement.
Richard: Maybe let’s start with the classics?
Classic
Anna: Who, who hasn’t read “Neither from Green Gables”?
Richard: Wait a minute, probably rather “Anne of Green Peaks“(Margins)?
Anna: Well, I don’t know about this new translation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novel. I seem to understand the arguments of Anna Bańkowska and the publisher that this is the most faithful translation, and that even “children know that no little Canadian is named Ania, Janka or Zosia, and that no Canadian is called Mateusz or Karolek, it’s time to restore everyone, not only selected (as in previous translations), the heroines and heroes of the book their real names, geographical names on Prince Edward Island and their original sound “, but I still think of Ania as Ania, not Anne. Although maybe in this particular case I’m not entirely objective.
Richard: You certainly are not. Fortunately, we do not have such problems with the short stories by Bruno Schulz collected in the volume “Cinnamon Shops”. This is one of the most original works of Polish literature. They have been translated into several dozen languages, and the author – a painter and drawing teacher – overnight joined the group of the most recognizable writers of that time. The newest edition of Schulz’s book was enriched with four later stories: “Autumn”, “Republika marzeń”, “Kometa” and “Fatherland”. You just have to know this author, so if you haven’t read it yet, you have to reach for “Cinnamon Stores and Other Stories“(Margins).
Marta: The book also caught my attention “Call it a dream“Henry Roth (ArtRage and Książkowe Klimaty). Today it is considered a masterpiece of Jewish-American literature, but when it was published in 1934, it went almost unnoticed by readers. When in 1964 an agent and publisher persuaded Roth to re-publish it , it turned out to be a bull’s eye. Over a million copies were sold quickly. It is the harsh, harsh reality of Jewish immigrant life in the slums of New York.
Anna: The next book is a variation on the classic rather than the classic. Kevin J. Anderson is famous for his novels set in the world of Star Wars and the series “From the X Archives”. Together with Frank Herbert’s son Brian Herbert, he also continues the Dune saga. They wrote, among others two new trilogies, as well as the culmination of “Dune Chronicles” and books supplementing the series. “Dune. Prince of Caladan“(Rebis) opens the” Caladan Trilogy “. Leto Atryda is the prince of Caladan and the father of Muad’Dib. Everyone knows the story of his son’s ascent and fall. Little is known, however, about the ruler of Kaladan and his partner …. There are some of Frank Herbert’s fans who don’t they recognize the prequels and seguels added to his saga, but since so many of these books have already been written, most readers probably accepted them.
Richard: Philip Rot is one of the greatest contemporary American writers and has many high-profile books to his credit. Wydawnictwo Literackie has just re-launched two of them. Character “A dying animal“David Kepesh is a respected cultural critic, a star of the New York university. When he turns sixty, he meets Consuela Castillo, a 24-year-old student, daughter of wealthy Cuban immigrants, who will introduce erotic confusion into his life. The title character.”Portnoy complex“lying on the psychotherapist’s couch, he settles accounts with his own and family history. With the mother who wants to take care of everything. With the father, always suffering from indigestion. With his parents in general, because” a Jew whose parents are alive is generally a helpless baby. ! “. In an attempt to break free from family bondage, Alex falls into a trap of compulsive erotic fantasies …
Anna: Well, maybe now something for history lovers?
Historically
Richard: I kindly ask. On Netflix you can watch last year’s film by Christian Schwochow “Munich in the face of war“(Albatros) with Jeremy Irons as the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. On this occasion, the second edition of the novel by Robert Harris, which was the basis of the film, was released to bookstores. On September 29-30, 1938 in Munich, Germany, Italy, Wielka Britain and France concluded a pact under which part of Czechoslovakia was annexed to the German Reich against the pretext of the Sudeten Germans living there, and the future of Czechoslovakia was decided without its participation, all in order to stop Hitler from starting a war.
Anna: And Sabine Ebert, the author of the popular saga about the witch doctor Marta, returns in the series “Sword and Crown”. “Master of intrigue“(Sonia Draga) opens the epic of Frederick I Barbarossa, known as Redbeard, who became one of the most powerful rulers of medieval Europe. Although it is a novel, it is based on real events. It is December 1137. Emperor Lothair dies and a ruthless fight begins. The dukes and clergy are ready to do anything to undermine the rights of the imperial son-in-law Henry the Delicious to the crown and take away the Duchy of Bavaria and Saxony from Welf … It is hard not to praise the lightness and impressive scale of the story.
Marta: I would mention “Little crimes“Magdalena Majcher (WAB), because although the action is inspired by the events of 2000, we cannot deny that it has been over twenty years, so history. It was then that the bodies of newborns were found in a small village in Mazovia – journalists from all over the country came to Wrotnów But be warned, this is not an easy reading.
Richard: While your books are novels based on real events, then “The last duel“(Margins) is the history book on which Ridley Scott made his film last year. Eric Jager recounted the story of the last such clash approved by the Paris Parliament. It happened in 1386. The Hundred Years’ War is on. Knight Jean de Carrouges returns. home from Scotland. He learns that his old friend and squire Jacques Le Gris has brutally raped his wife Marguerite. He accuses him before King Charles VI. A woman’s fate also depends on its outcome… And, the book reads almost like a novel, and in this particular case it hardly makes much difference.
Richard: And also Max Czornyj, who turned into a novel “Executioner from Płaszów“(Branch) biography of the war criminal Amon Goth, liquidator of the Jewish ghettos in Kraków and Tarnów, famous for the brutality of the commandant of the KL Plaszow concentration camp. We learn the history of Goth’s life and death from his own perspective. It is he who tells about his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, also about his crimes. I was afraid it was a very risky literary maneuver, but Chornyy rose to the challenge, and his idea proved successful. Goth’s list of crimes is so long that the author does not deliberately describe all of them. explains.
Marta: While it has a lot of premieres in December, in January you can find a lot of news about love – after all, on February 14 we celebrate Valentine’s Day. This time, however, let’s leave books on this subject and approach the topic a bit differently …
Anna: We figured it out that we would end up with a book that should be required reading for every couple (rather at the initial stage of the relationship). This “How to recognize a psychopath? 7 types of dangerous minds that fascinate and terrify us “ Brand Freestone (Muse). After all, it’s better to know who you’re hanging out with!
Richard: Dr. Mark Freestone, during his 15 years of professional practice in closed institutions and prisons, worked on the most interesting and disturbing cases of psychopaths in recent years. In the book, he shows how we can recognize that we are dealing with a psychopath. It explains why this personality disorder usually affects men, and tells what to do when dealing with a psychopath.
Anna: What if we fall in love with it earlier?
Richard: We are screwed. Unless we are psychopaths ourselves. History knows of, let’s say, successful relationships such as Bonnie and Clyde.
Anna: Don’t go. Not everyone has to share our sense of humor. Let’s finish better!
Richard: Thank you! And we wish you a happy Valentine’s Day.
The second part of the January summary will be published soon, including crime stories.
Source: Gazeta
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
