Winstonsdad’s Blog is hosting Polish Literature month in October and since I’m not very good at posting in a timely fashion with others I thought I would read and post about these books over the next few months. I’m sure there will be more to add to this list. I’m also including a list of Polish works I have covered over the last couple of years—hopefully it will help anyone wanting to participate in October’s event. While my lists include a lot of fine Polish writers there are many more I hope to explore soon. Some of these books/plays/movies in my posts are easily available while others took quite a bit of work to find.

I want to start by mentioning Czesław Miłosz’s The History of Polish Literature, a great reference book that adds historical perspective to many Polish writers and their works. Its main drawback is that it only covers through 1965 (the book was published in 1969), so more recent authors and works are not included. Even with that caveat I highly recommend it—it’s an extremely readable reference book. I find I have spent more time reading it than I intended every time I pick it up. There are some sections available to preview at Google Books.

Planned:
Bacacay by Witold Gombrowicz (Archipelago Books, translated by Bill Johnston, 275 pages)

A Kind of Testament by Witold Gombrowicz (Dalkey Archive Press, translated by Alastair Hamilton, 158 pages)

Three Plays by Witold Gombrowicz (Marion Boyars, translated by Krystyna Griffith-Jones, Catherine Robins and Louis Iribarne, 287 pages).
I have already reviewed Princess Ivona (see below). The remaining two plays are The Marriage and Operetta.

Pharaoh by Bolesław Prus (Polonia Publishers, translated by Christopher Kasparek, 692 pages)
Hopefully I can obtain a copy of the movie directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz and include it in the review.

The Coming Spring by Stefan Żeromski (Central European University Press, translated by Bill Johnston, 413 pages)
There is a recent movie based on the novel that has gotten mixed reviews—I’ll see if I can find a copy of it to include in the review.

Ashes by Stefan Żeromski (Alfred A. Knopf, translated by Helen Strankiewicz Zand, 2 volumes, 758 pages)

Stone upon Stone by Wiesław Myśliwski (Archipelago Books, translated by Bill Johnston, 534 pages)

The Captive Mind by Czesław Miłosz (Vintage International, translated by Jane Zielonko, 251 pages)

Previously posted:
I Burn Paris by Bruno Jasieński

The Doll by Bolesław Prus
A list of characters in The Doll
Film: The Doll (Poland: 1968)

The Stories of Bruno Schulz
Film: The Hour-Glass Sanatorium (Poland: 1973)
The Quay Brothers’ movie Street of Crocodiles

The Faithful River by Stefan Żeromski
Film: The Faithful River / Wierna rzeka (Poland: 1987)

Ashes and Diamonds by Jerzy Andrzejewski
Film: Ashes and Diamonds (Poland: 1958)

Ferdydurke by Witold Gombrowicz

Pornografia by Witold Gombrowicz
Film: Pornografia (Poland: 2003)

Princess Ivona by Witold Gombrowicz
Play: Princess Ivona (The Collected Works, San Francisco: 2013 performance)