The Essential Guide to Being Polish: 50 Facts & Facets of Nationhood

by Anna Spysz, Marta Turek

Being Polish is no joke. For ten million people of Polish ancestry in the United States, as well as many who have settled in the UK since the fall of communism, it is a heartfelt matter⎯and amid all the travel guides and guides to Polish language, folklore, and customs, there is no single, comprehensive, reader-friendly and yet ever-informative reference on what it means to be Polish. Enter The Essential Guide to Being Polish⎯the go-to concise resource for anyone looking to reconnect with their culture or, indeed, hoping that their friends, children, or colleagues learn something about their heritage. 
 Divided into three sections to make for an easy-to-follow format⎯Poland in Context, Poles in Poland, and Poles Abroad⎯this guide covers just about everything and does so in a style that is at once entertaining and the country’s history and geography, wars, Jews in Poland, the communist past, the post-communist past and present, language, kings and queens, religion/Catholicism (with special focus on Pope John Paul II), holidays, food, and drink. What is a real Polish wedding all about? That, too, is addressed succinctly and with flair in this guide. Other chapters cover literature, music, art, famous scientists, Polish men and Polish women, Poles in America, Poles in the UK, Poles and the EU, and last but not least, Polish pride.

Genres: Nonfiction, Poland, Cultural

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2013

Reviews

[Grant Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having company from Poland coming here this Christmas, I thought a quick course on Polishness was in order, and this looked like the book to deliver that hope. Well, it is, but at the same time I must say this is no short course. Almost every aspect of Polish culture, history and attitude is explored in depth. Foe example, do you know that it is said that Chicago is the second largest Polish city in the world (after Warsaw, of course). Some parts are almost too detailed, but one can just read a little less carefully, knowing that all that useful information will still be in the book if one ever needs it. And now I'm ready for whatever Christmas may throw at me. Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia!

[Cherok · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me a while to finish. The format is lenient to that, since the organization in bite-sized chapters covering different topics on Polish history, culture, language, sports, society are very compartmentalized. There are two authors in this book, despite what Goodreads says, and the tone and language of each is very distinctive.

For anyone interested in all things Poland: wanting to get a general overview, and not an in-depth analysis, this is the book to get. It did a very fair job for me in that regard. And in my numerous visits to Poland or conversations with Polish people its knowledge came in handy. By no means is it an exhaustive read, since the ground to cover is large and varied. At the end of each chapter there are usually a couple of reference books, if the reader is particularly interested in the specific topic. This was very much appreciated.

Would read it again, and it was a very special gift that has served its purpose in spades. Next I will probably tackle a work more focused on Poland's history.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by two Polish-Americans, this book was really helpful as a reference book for understanding and interpreting certain aspects of Polish culture and history that would have otherwise been very difficult for me to understand. Reading this book while in the country was very helpful and started a lot of great conversations, not just from the funny title and section headings, but also because the information presented was very pertinent to many of the Poles I talked to while on my trip. A great read for anyone curious about Polish culture, language, history and food! I will definitely be using this as a reference book in the future, and one of the best parts is that for each section the authors have a "further reading" section, which will be a great starting point for digging deeper into their corresponding subjects.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Moly! It took me almost a year to finish this book. So much information, I could only take it in small bites. Learned a lot about Poland, it's history, and it's people. Got some more suggestions for further reading as well.

[Melanie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! There is much information in this book on every topic. Fortunately, the chapters are small and easy to read. Now, I am proud to have Polish heritage.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should be required reading for anyone visiting Poland for the first time or interested in learning more about it. While the chapters about history, religion, holidays, and culture may not be new information for someone who has already done some research, the chapters that go more in depth into Polish psychology and way of life offer some insight. The essays are also written with a touch of nostalgia, helpfully comparing the past to the present for anyone who is clinging to outdated stereotypes.

The "further reading" sections at the end of each chapter are a goldmine of information about Polish history, culture, politics, and attitudes. The reading suggestions are frequently books published in the last few years and include familiar titles such as Iron Curtain and Bloodlands, but books with more specific focus, such as those detailing the role of women in the Solidarity movement, are also included, meaning that the reader has at their disposal sources to slake curiosity.

[Grzegorz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Essential Guide to Being Polish" is rather a good book for a foreigner to get to know Poland, Polish people, cuisine, famous people and many, many more. Reading this book a chapter after chapter is a bit of a overkill, but trying to treat this position as a set of information about Poland will pay off, even for a Pole. Lots of useful and interesting information about this country will help you familiarize with Poland faster.

[Matthew Dambro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful series of essays on what it means to be Polish. Beautifully written and well researched. It is a must for anyone interested in getting in touch with a Polish heritage. Thank you, Mom, for everything.

[Heidi VW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read this in little snippets this past year as my daughter has lived in Poland. It gave me some great insights into what she's experiencing and helped me understand why she loves Poland and its people so much. I can't wait to go back with her and visit this beautiful country!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting!

[Wes]

suggested as a polish beginner book by one of gosias friends

[Jamie Wolgast · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read. The author has a great sense of humor and a casual yet informational style. Loved it!

[Eugene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful books as an introduction of polish history, culture and mentality.

[Amber Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

After living in Poland, this book really taught me alot and really was true to my experience.

[Mykey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone that wishes to travel to Poland or is just curious about Polish culture. This book explores what it means to be Polish in and out of Poland (it goes further into details about when Polish didn't exist as a country and why some people may have left Poland during times of war and occupation).

My favorite parts of the book is how Poland has influenced the rest of the world, whether it be from delicious Polish Pierogis, or from influential polish people, like Pope John Paul II, Frederic Chopin, Marie (Sklodowska) Curie, Adam Mickiewicz, and Copernicus (Mikolaj Kopernik).