Polish novels in English.

TheKruk 3 | 308

20 Jun 2007 / #1

Can anyone recommend classic examples or even not so classic Polish novels that have decent English translations. Until now I have only read Polish history books and would like to branch out. I am interested in books most Poles would have read or are considered great examples of Polish literature, I know you lose something in translation like reading Pan Tadeusz in English doesn't make much sense, I wish my Polish was good enough but that will take years. Thanks.

Grzegorz_ 51 | 6138

20 Jun 2007 / #2

Trilogy

kismeta.com/diGrasse/sienTrilogy.htm

OP TheKruk 3 | 308

20 Jun 2007 / #3

Awesome Grzegorz, I bought the DVD of "With fire and sword" last time I was in Warsaw. Should have bought the damn book too.

Marek3 2 | 4

20 Jun 2007 / #4

hello !
Sorry TheKruk, I'm not going to answer to your question, but can you give me, if possible, some references of book in english about Poland modern history (20th) and/or the name of edition firms which publish/have published that kind of books.

Thank you

Marek

OP TheKruk 3 | 308

20 Jun 2007 / #5

europeanhistory.about.com/od/toppicksbooks/tp/tppolandlith.htm

This is the best I could do Marek3 not a lot of books to choose from.

most - | 27

20 Jun 2007 / #6

There is a printing house called Central European Press that has very good translations of some Polish classics - I recommend the interwar novellas Wilko Girls and the Birch Grove by Iwaskiewicz (which might wind up the mentalists on this forum as I think he was later a commie), also Czeslaw Milosz - the Issa Valley is his best book, but the Captive Mind is quite interesting.

Still struggling with the trilogy myself - it doesnt translate easily - will try and finish it during my summer holidays though.

OP TheKruk 3 | 308

20 Jun 2007 / #7

Thanks Most! I have heard milosz is great.