Our Polish reading group is now in its second year. We invite readers of Polish with some involvement in or awareness of the UK publishing market to join. The focus is on contemporary literary fiction, but occasionally we also read twentieth-century classics and non-fiction. The group is organised by Tasja Dorkofikis (editor of PEN Atlas), and Antonia Lloyd-Jones (translator). Meetings to discuss each book are held in London roughly every six to eight weeks. Dates and location to be found by clicking the ‘Where and When’ tab below.
The book identified for discussion at the next meeting is: Sońka by Ignacy Karpowicz (published by Wydawnictwo Literackie). Please add your comments to the author pages below.
We’d love to see you at the meetings if possible. This form of discussion, on line and in person, may provide a publishing opportunity for a book that deserves to be translated into English.
Authors
- Joanna Bator
- Wojciech Kuczok
- Sylwia Chutnik
- Michał Witkowski
- Piotr Paziński
- Igor Ostachowicz
- Angelika Kuźniak
- Lidia Ostałowska
- Kazimierz Brandys
- Filip Springer
- Inga Iwasiów
- Marian Pilot
- Ignacy Karpowicz
How it works
- Extracts in English are being added to this website where possible – see the relevant author’s page. All the books are available from the Merlin website as print or e-books.
- Read the excerpts, then comment online via the author pages.
- Come to a meet-up to discuss what has been read. You can be sure of lively, well informed discussion.
Where and When
Reading period:
12 February 2013 – Present
Meet-up:
The first meeting, to discuss Joanna Bator’s Ciemno, Prawie Noc, was held on Tuesday 12 February, 7pm, at The Coach and Horses, a gastropub at 26-28 Ray Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 3DJ.
The second meeting, to discuss Piotr Paziński’s Pensjonat and Wojciech Kuczok’s Gnój, was held on Monday 29 April, 7pm, at The Coach and Horses.
The third meeting, to discuss Morfina by Stefan Twardoch and Male Lisy by Justyna Bargielska was held on Tuesday 2 July, 7pm, at The Coach and Horses.
The fourth meeting, to discuss Sylwia Chutnik’s Cwaniary and Igor Ostachowicz’s Noc żywych Żydów, was held on Tuesday 1 October, 7pm, at The Coach and Horses.
The fifth meeting, to discuss Michał Witkowski’s The Lumberjack, was held on Tuesday 19 November, 7pm, at The Coach and Horses.
Our sixth meeting was held on Tuesday 14 January 2014, 7pm, at The Coach and Horses.
Our seventh meeting was held on Tuesday 18 March. The discussion at the 18th March meeting was of Kazimierz Brandys’s Wariacje Pocztowe (Postal Variations) and Filip Springer’s Miedzianka, The Story of a Disappearance.
1st July meeting – we’ll be discussing are Pióropusz by Marian Pilot (published by Wydawnictwo Literackie) and Na krótko by Inga Iwasiów (published by Wielka Litera).
Final meeting of 2014: Tuesday 26 August, 7pm, at The Coach and Horses, a gastropub at 26-28 Ray Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 3DJ (Ray Street is opposite the Free Word Centre and the nearest tubes are Chancery Lane, Farringdon, or King’s Cross).
Previous titles discussed
The books discussed in winter-spring 2013 were: Joanna Bator’s Ciemno, Prawie Noc (Dark, Almost Night) – discussed at our first meeting in February; Piotr Paziński’s Pensjonat (The Boarding House) and Wojciech Kuczok’s Gnój,– discussed at our second meeting in late April; Morfina by Stefan Twardoch and Male Lisy by Justyna Bargielska – discussed at our third meeting in July.
The books discussed for summer 2013 – spring 2014 included: Cwaniary (Hustlers) by Sylwia Chutnik, Noc żywych Żydów (Night of the Living Jews) by Igor Ostachowicz – to be discussed at our third meeting in early October – Drwal (The Lumberjack) by Michał Witkowski, Szopka (Farce) by Zosia Papużanska, Na krótko (Briefly) by Inga Iwasiów, Angelika Kuźniak’s Papusza and Lidia Ostałowska’s Farby Wodne (Water Colours).