The History of Polish Literature

by Czesław Miłosz

This book is a survey of Polish letters and culture from its beginnings to modern times. Czeslaw Milosz updated this edition in 1983 and added an epilogue to bring the discussion up to date.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Polish Literature, Poland

622 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Czesław Miłosz was a Nobel Prize winning poet and author of Polish-Lithuanian heritage. He memorialised his Lithuanian childhood in a 1955 novel, The Issa Valley , and in the 1959 memoir Native Realm . After graduating from Sigismund Augustus Gymnasium in Vilnius, he studied law at Stefan Batory University and in 1931 he travelled to Paris, where he was influenced by his distant cousin Oscar Milosz, a French poet of Lithuanian descent and a Swedenborgian. His first volume of poetry was published in 1934.

After receiving his law degree that year, he again spent a year in Paris on a fellowship. Upon returning, he worked as a commentator at Radio Wilno, but was dismissed, an action described as stemming from either his leftist views or for views overly sympathetic to Lithuania. Miłosz wrote all his poetry, fiction, and essays in Polish and translated the Old Testament Psalms into Polish.

Awarded the 1980 Nobel Prize in Literature for being an author "who with uncompromising clear-sightedness voices man's exposed condition in a world of severe conflicts."

Reviews

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives you a survey of Polish literature from the beginning to Solidarnosc, as well as Milosz's opinions about and insights into all of it. I read it while living in Krakow, and it was a really nice experience.

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

a nice light summer read...

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has to be the most comprehensive book on Polish literature out there. It reads pretty well for a textbook - Milosz does a great job with this.

[Kuraseva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, informative. Gives brief historical analysis of each period before surveying the literature. Would have liked a little more comparison to other Eastern european/slavic traditions.

[Dominika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would, considering it was written by the literary Nobel Prize winner.

I think the main problem I had with this book was that it contained so much history - I do understand, that the literature of Poland is deeply connected with its history and to understand one you need to know something about the other - but I had this feeling, that a half or more of this book was about history and literature was less important. Some authors were just mentioned in a few lines and I kept thinking why Milosz wrote about them at all if they were obviously so unimportant for him. I'd prefer less names, but more facts about the ones who were left.

On the other hand, I think the book was very well written and really informative and may be a good textbook for people interested in learning more about both history and literature of Poland.

From my blog: https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g...

[Samantha Michalska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not particularly thrilling, but a great reference none-the-less.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice overview of Polish history and literature; provides good background and context for early Unitarianism.