Polish nonfiction literature: Moczarski, Borowski, Grudziński etc.

Gustaw Herling-Grudziński "World Apart"
Tadeusz Borowski "This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen"
Kazimierz Moczarski "Conversations with an Executioner"
Hanna Krall "Shielding the Flame"
Zofia Nałkowska "Medallions"

Do you know it? Have you read it? Do you like it?

Norman Davies

I didn't mean history books. Rather memoirs

Out of the works you've listed I've only read Borowski's short story, but I have read the memoirs of Jan Pasek and I found them fantastic. I heard that they were written on cow hides and when they were discovered they were presumed to be a fake perpetrated by a professional writer, but then they discovered mention of the amazing otter that he had to give the king in the royal records. Truly some of the most entertaining memoirs I've ever read and and a fascinating account of the Deluge and its aftermath. I assume the are very famous in Poland, is that so?

Moczarski was jailed with Jurgen Stroop and wrote down his conversations with him. What would I base my decision whether I like it or not? What Stroop said before his execution or what Moczarski wrote down? There is a similar book I've read, Rozmowy z Leistem - hitlerowskim starostą Warszawy(Conversations with Leist - the Nazi governor of Warsaw), and again I have the same reaction.

I read Borowski years ago so I don't remember enough to comment.

If you understand Polish, there is a well done play or rather a television adaptation you can watch based on Moczarski's book and it follows the book quite well.

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