Literature

From Painted Bird to Ugly Bird: What is the truth behind Kosiński’s acclaimed autobiography?

Seen as an iconic autobiographical depiction of a young boy’s tragic war experience, The Painted Bird was quickly added to the canon of Holocaust literature and propelled Kosiński to stardom. Zbigniew Staszyszyn/PAP

A brilliant author, celebrity and tragic victim, or a fraud, careerist and outright liar? Even today, Jerzy Kosiński provokes controversy. On the 86th anniversary of his birth, TFN speaks to Joanna Siedlecka, the author of Kosiński’s biography “Ugly Black Bird”.

One for the books: how Kraków became the reading capital of Poland

Bookworms of the world unite in the Polish city that wants to cement its position as a global literary powerhouse.

Tenth Warsaw Book Fair ended on Sunday

Over 800 exhibitors from 27 countries, over 1,000 invited authors and 1,500 events took place during the 10th Warsaw Book Fair, which ended at the PGE National Stadium on Sunday.

New collection of writings by Czesław Miłosz show author’s ‘internal dilemmas’ in the face of totalitarianism

With 880 pages, “In the Shadow of Totalitarianisms” brings together previously-scattered articles, essays and reviews, inviting Miłosz fans, literary scholars and historians to explore its themes in greater depth.

Tube-way poetry: Polish prose hits the London Underground

London commuters have the chance to read the poetry that helped keep Polish culture alive during the dark days of partition.

Ground breaking biography of Joseph Conrad wins major literary award

The biography explores Conrad’s life and how the changing word he lived in shaped it.

Jailhouse book: The woman who visits prison to read to Poland's hardest criminals

Last year she won the Medal of Saints for ‘caring and helping’ criminals. This year she bagged the Stołek award for best urban project. TFN’s Magda Dercz caught up with the woman whose motto when working with prisoners is: “I do not deal with their past, but with their future.”

Meet Jennifer Croft, the translator who shot to fame after winning this year’s Man Booker International Prize

EXCLUSIVE: TFN catches up with the women behind the award-winning novel Flights by Olga Tokarczuk

When Swirski met Lem: Scholar Peter Swirski talks to TFN about one of the world’s greatest sci-fi writers, the late Stanisław Lem

A Canadian literary critic featured in Canada’s Who’s Who and Amazon's Number 1 Bestseller list, Professor Peter Swirski is the leading scholar on Stanisław Lem

Etgar Keret, the master of storytelling, turns 51

Born to Polish parents on August 20th 1967 in the city of Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, it was his father’s tales of gangsters and prostitutes which inspired the young Keret to greatness.

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