Poland Books

One of those amazing stories that makes you realize just how much the human spirit can take, and still survive. And just how inhumane we humans can be towards each other. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put this down.

Szpilman reveals the tragedy of Jewish life in Warsaw under the German occupation from 1939-1946. Szpilman's autobiographical work was first published in postwar Poland in 1946 but then quickly removed from circulation by Polish authorities. An accomplished pianist before the war, Szpilman played for Polish Radio during the siege of Warsaw and later within the Jewish ghetto to provide food for his parents and siblings. With the systematic liquidation of Jewish life in Warsaw and separation from his family, Szpilman's life took a series of surprising twists. As the reader views life in the ghetto through the eyes of a survivor, his escape from the ghetto before the Jewish up-rising and his ultimate survival consistently depended upon a timely combination of luck and sympathetic acquaintances B including a German army officer.

Included with Szpilman's memoirs are excerpts from Captain Wilm Hosenfeld's diaries and Wolf Biermann's own brief commentary. Hosenfeld's equating of National Socialism with Stalinist Communist and Biermann's emphasis on Szpilman's willingness to break with his past detracts from the overall quality of this work. Nevertheless, this work is well written and will retain the reader's attention to the end.

I could not put down this book, and read it in two sittings. Wladyslaw Szpilman, the famed pianist and composer, describes his harrowing account of life under Nazi terror. As a Polish Jew, Szpilman was considered by the Nazis to be entirely subhuman, and it is a miracle he survived the persistent and random acts of violence that surrounded him. He was nearly sent to a death camp along with his five family members, and somehow was pulled off the Birkenau-bound train to a grim prospect of survival. The images in this book are harrowing, such as the depiction of the shattered skulls of little girls, victims of the Nazis' "preferred" method of killing children by picking them up by their legs and swinging them into a brick wall. Imagine the horror....Szpilman's account is so matter-of-fact at times that you wonder how he survived. The fact that he did is a testament of human endurance, but also the ways of fate. There were occasions when he survived simply by the luck of the draw in a Godless universe.

Why do I consider a first person account detailing the horrors of the Holocaust to be uplifting? The events described by the author are harrowing and nearly unbelieveable to the degree that I was astonished that the man, in the end, survives. Perhaps that is why I am so uplifted by this story. He survived. He defied evil by daring to live. He also dared to pick up the pieces of his shattered life and continue to live. He does this without any fanfare or obvious heroism. I think that is what makes this particular telling of the Holocaust so remarkable. The author writes it in such an unremarkable fashion that it forces you to sit up and take notice. By simply stating that the caramel was his 'family's last meal together' makes you pause to reflect on such an event. Beautifully written. Highly reccommended.

As a side note, Roman Polanski's adaptation of this book is truely brilliant. Adrien Brody's portrayal of Szpilman is awe inspiring and heart wrenching to watch. Both men do the book and Szpilman's memory justice.

I don't have too much to add to the other reviewers; having seen the movie I had a pretty good idea what to expect.

Probably the most interesting thing about the book version is the diary of a German officer who helped save Spilman. The officer's diary (from 1942-44) shows that he was aware of the Nazi extermination camps by mid-1942; he explained that most Jews were "so weak from starvation and misery that they couldn't offer any resistance." By December 1943, he knew that Germany would lose the war, but suggests that Germans would not revolt because "no one would risk his life by standing up to the Gestapo."

This is one of the first Holocaust survival stories that I read. It is by far one that has stayed with me in the most detail.

I'm not going to give the story away I'm just going to say you will cry and rejoyce in this story. It will touch you to core of your very being.

I must read for EVERYONE!

I have read many of the holocaust books out there but this is the one I pass on to friends to read. Especially moving is the liberation of the prisoners at the end of the book. I wish all schools made this mandatory reading. What a way to learn history! This author is quite an incredible woman.

This book was gripping and I could not put it down until I finished it. It's so hard to believe the hardships so many endured for being Jewish. A must read. Beautifully written with rich detail.

I read this book a long time ago and just got done listening to the book on tape for the second time. It is the most powerful representation of the Holocaust I have found. Please read this book if you want to learn about the Holocaust from a gifted author and survivor.

Despite the horrors around her, and fellow prisoners dying and becoming mentally unbalanced every day, young Gerda Weissman managed to survive several Nazi camps from the late 1930s through the grisly end of World War II.

Imagine being a teenager, wrenched away from your beloved parents, older brother and home -- and never seeing any of them ever again. It would be enough to make anyone unstable, not to mention bitter. Yet somehow, Gerda emerges from her horrifying ordeal stronger than she began. As her body heals in a hospital run by the Allies during the spring of 1945, Gerda begins a relationship with Kurt Klein -- a young soldier who urges her to tell her story.

Now an elderly woman living in Arizona, Gerda Weissman Klein is able to see just how far she's come from the young Jewish girl living a priviledged life in Poland. Yet at the same time, her writing style allows readers to see clearly just how that same persona has managed to live such a rich, eventful life to the fullest all of these years.

I've read many Holocaust memoirs, though I must say that Gerda's story is beautifully and distinctly told.

I am a clinical psychologist, and I found Sara's Children well worth reading for the personalized insight it provides about the Holocaust. Although this book is poignant and heartrending, it remains well written without going over the top. The five Garfinkel siblings endured far beyond what human beings seem capable of bearing. Out of the war's destruction and nearly complete genocide, this family emerged without bitterness, without anger. That they managed not only to survive but also to rebuild their lives is a triumph of the human spirit.

A touching sad story of brave persecuted peoples caught in the political times and war. It is a story of faith and strength that has a happy ending of freedom with their escape and survival. It is a story that would be a great movie. The message is what happens to all families and groups caught in war and political up heavals still going on today. Ms. Hagstrom has caught and told us of the mood, the times, and emotional moment of the times. History is to be remembered in this book, to avoid being repeated. John Elwell

"Sara's Children" is a compelling story about five siblings who survived the Holocaust. Yet, their immediate family was not untouched: both parents and two other siblings were murdered by the regime.

I read this book after having re-read Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning." I followed it by reading "Night" by Elie Weisel. "Sara's Children" tells a story as shocking to the conscience as any narrative.

I can think of any book that portrays in such historical understanding and journalistic flair of what life has been like for these five holocaust survivors siblings.
Sara's Children is not only a compelling biography, it is a revealing personal story about a family caught up in the events for which no one could have prepared them.

I can think of any book that portrays in such historical understanding and journalistic flair of what life has been like for these five holocaust survivors siblings.
Sara's Children is not only a compelling biography, it is a revealing personal story about a family caught up in the events for which no one could have prepared them.

First I listened to the book on audio. I liked it so much I got the book a year later andit it. Amazing story of survival. Hiding right in a Nazi officers home. WOW. What courage.

A must read for those who what to never forget.

Uplifting to what we can and will do for others when we have to.

Whereas the novel I mentioned in my title left me feeling cold (not to mention the author was a small child when she writes about her experiences, which must be grainy), this powerful account is simply written, but also written well. It's deliciously descriptive and emotional. I felt like I did walk in Irene's shoes, for I saw everything through her eyes (true, it was written in first-person point-of-view), instead of like watching a movie.

By the way, I think this would make a great film, though I am not sure if there is an actress beautiful enough to play Irene (who really should be played by a young, unknown girl, age appropriate, not a trashy pop starlet, who would degrade).

Through it all (being raped by two Russian soldiers and left for dead, becoming a German officer's mistress to protect her Jewish friends, etc.), Irene maintains an innocence that is refreshing, and when she loses her first truelove before they have a chance to marry, it broke my heart.

I will say I have an even dimmer view of the Catholic Church than I did before (not Catholics in general, just some of the politics of the religion), because when Irene goes to a priest to confess being a German's lover to save the lives of her friends, he says, "They are Jews", and I could actually hear the inflection in his voice that said, "They're just Jews", like they weren't worth saving. This un-Christlike priest refuses to give her absolution, which, from a doctrinal standpoint I understand, but not from a spiritual standpoint. Yes, Irene was sinning, but she was not committing crimes against humanity, and I believe my God is a merciful and just God and that He understands for He can see Irene's soul.

This deeply religious, courageous woman has earned my respect and her chronicle is hardcover worthy.

My 14-year-old daughter read this book and insisted that I read it. When I finally agreed, I could not put the book down. The story is so well told that you can can truly understand the experience of a 17-year-old girl in the midst of the horrible events. A compelling book that everyone should read and discuss.

I often think of this woman in my day to day life. She serves as a testament to all mankind that we must put others first and fight for the just cause. What she went through herself is quite harrowing. I am happy that she has been honored with a tree planted in her name at Yad Vashem in Israel. An easy read and a book that you cannot put down. She is truly inspirational.

Unlike most characters featured in such books, Irene Opdyke had no vested interest in helping the Jews during the Nazi occupation of Poland. She began her work in small, timid steps, gradually growing more bold and forceful as she matured. The story is told in an entirely credible and sympathetic way, without forcing young readers to wade though long narratives of graphic atrocities. I found the afterward to be the most moving and memorable part of the entire book.

I met Mr. Wiener after listening to him speak about his life as a Holocaust Survivor. I am a teacher. Reading his book was a necessity after hearing his story. I had to discover more about this amazing man and how he could convey such a positive message about life and mankind after surviving one of the more horrific events in our world's history. Mr. Wiener connects with the reader and brings the Holocaust to life, yet with all of the atrocities comes a story of forgiveness. This is a book that will take on new meaning each time it is read. I have read it twice cover to cover and will read it once a year to remind myself of why we continue to teach tolerance. Mr. Wiener's book leaves the reader with a feeling of hope. It, in my opinion, should be in every library in the world. This book will leave a positive mark on the life of anyone who reads it. It is a "must read."

I've had he honor of hearing Mr. Weiner speak twice in person at the youth corrections facility where I teach. He has an uncanny ability to give a human voice to the most horrific experiences, and he made an indelible impression on my students. Thank you, Mr. Weiner.

Alter Weiner's poignant memoir of the Holocaust, "From A Name To A Number," should be required reading for all high school social studies students, and indeed, all those who seek public office. The systematic abuse and horrors that Weiner experienced in the absence of a rule of law should not be forgotten by today's society.

Weiner's honesty in describing confronting the terror and tragedy of his Holocaust experiences and the random randiness of post-Holocaust encounters with women, also scarred and broken by the war, bring a special sense of humanity to the book, and to the times he descibes, that is often absent in Holocaust accounts.

As we live through another time of war, this one not being shared by the general public but by only one-half of one percent of the US population who is either in unifrom or who has a family member in the military, we should reflect upon the enormous and crushing burden our leaders have placed on those in harms way...and think about the innocents caught in the malestrom of war.

Weiner is a profile of courage and I awed and inspired by his ability to carry on after all he's lived through.

It was such a privilege read Alter Weiner's story. In his own words he tells of life before the war and then the horrors we cannot even imagine. His book is spellbinding. With such a tragic story, I found the book uplifting. He points out the good in humanity, yet he saw not hundreds, but thousands of people die at the hands of the Nazis. He's a living testimony that no matter what happens to us, the human spirit can still soar.

Since I read his book, there hasn't been a day that I don't thank God for the life I live. As Alter and other Holocaust survivors share their experiences, they educate, strengthen and warn us. For a man that lost 122 members of his family, Alter Weiner tells the story without rage or hatred--a lesson to us all.

Alter Wiener has taken his story of horrific tragedy and used it for such great good. I have had the honor of not only reading this book, but hearing Alter speak, sharing a meal with him and connecting him to many students. His story is told in a way that is completely attainable for everyone. He brought history to life for all of us. His story is one that he lives with everyday. I think what impacted me the most was the fact that the holocaust has continued for him many years after his freedom. This is something we do not hear enough about. The aftermath of the psychological and relational devastation it has on everyone who was involved and in fact for us all became apparent though this book. We often hear the stories of the holocaust, concentration camps, horrible furnaces that burned people, loss of life and dignity, but we rarely hear what the survivors lives are like afterward. Alter has such a beautifully resilient heart and mind, he could have chosen to close this story up forever, however by sharing it, he give others hope in the most devastating of situations. The most valuable element of this book, is perspective. Perspective on our lives today, perspective on the sacredness of life. Alter, thank you for telling your story and touching my life as well as the many others you have changed and will touch.

An excellent book dedicated to two people stood up for life when others looked the other way. My children and I enjoyed reading this book together.

Visitors are coming for seder dinner and Marissa wants to know who they are!

An eight-year-old Jewish girl, Marissa, is sitting down with her family for the Passover seder. This year it is not only her family at the meal, but two guests, an older couple named Alex and Mela Roslan. At her Uncle David's prodding, Marissa's father, Jacob, tells the story of why he is so honored to have the Roslans as his guests. It all started long, long ago, when Jacob was just eight years old.

Jacob and his family lived in Warsaw, Poland, at the start of the Holocaust. His mother died giving birth to his youngest brother, but the rest of his family was well off, with servants and a nice house. Everything changed when the Nazis invaded. All of a sudden all of the Jews were put into a ghetto. The men of the family escaped the country before then, believing the women and children would be safe. Jacob's aunt managed to find places for his little brothers, Sholom and David, in the country. Jacob, however, stayed in the ghetto. Life was hard but livable. Then, his aunt began to worry about the fact that so many people were being arrested and taken out of the ghetto each day. She found a place for Jacob to live, with Alex and Mela Roslan and their two children, a family of Christians.

Throughout the war, Jacob lived with this courageous family, a family who put their own lives at risk to save the life of someone they had barely known.

This is another true Holocause story, and another one that makes the reader see there were some good people out there, surrounded by the bad. I liked that this book showed that helping Jacob was a difficult decision for the Roslans to make. They probably saved his life, but they still were concerned about their own lives and their own children. I would have liked to have seen more of what the Roslan children were thinking during this time. It would be interesting to get the point of view of the children who were involved because of a decision of their parents.

This is an amazing story of a young Jewish boy during the Nazi occupation of Poland. Jacob is his name, and he is given a chance to live with a brave Polish family. The Roslan family takes Jacob in and protects his brothers and him. This now united family must go through many hardships throughout this story, but there is still happiness and gratitude flowing in the text. Alex the father is the bravest of them all. He keeps the family alive and healthy.
This book tells a well rendered real life experience of a very brave family. It explains what was going on in Poland from the peoples view not the generals prospective. In this book Jacob tells this story to his daughter. Think of finding out that your father was living through an adventure story that had dire conflicts.
What I'm saying is if read this book if you want a idea of what happened to people that were brave and fought in their own way during World War 2.

PR2

In this story called Jacob's Rescue a Holocaust Story, Jacob is a Jew. He finds out that he has to go away from his Aunt and his grandma, to live with a German. The German's name is Alex. He hides Jacob from the Germans, or any other people who don't like Jews. Jacob becomes family to Alex and his wife and kids. Throughout the whole story Jacob is scared and frightened by the Germans. He doesn't want to get caught.
I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't keep my hands off of it. It was that good. I am really interested in the holocaust, so I enjoyed reading it very much. Anyone who likes reading about history or the holocaust, this is the book for you. This is based on a true story. That makes this book a lot more interesting to read.
By: Tenille

Jacob's Rescue by Malka Drucker and Micheal Halprin is an awesome book to read. It starts with Jacob getting captured by the Nazis and being put in a ghetto but for most of the story he is kept in a small apartment.

This book is about an 8 year old boy named Jacob and the extremely brave people who rescued him, Alex and Mela. There were also two brave kids the son and daughter of Alex and Mela. Jacob is one of the Jewish people who got put in a ghetto. In this story Jacob loves to play cards and do math. The whole story starts when Jacob gets put in a ghetto. Their problem is they have to find a way to stay safe without getting caught and being killed. My favorite part is when he escapes from the ghetto and goes with Alex to his new home.

I gave this book five stars because many of you know how many Jewish people got killed because of the war. This book is about the few people who went way out of their way just to save two Jewish boys life. I think that just to know that people would be so giving is a great thing. I think that Malka Drucker and Micheal Halprin did a great gob on this book and I hope that there are more books of theirs that I can read. I would recommend this book to a friend because I think that it's cool to know that two boys' lived through a war because of two people that saved them.

This novel brings you to the late 1700's and offers the drama of a modern romance with all the trials of war while in another era and country.
Twists and turns along with an easy/quick history of early Poland will keep the pages turning. Quickly went to buy the sequel before starting a new book b/c I was up in arms to find out the happenings of these compelling characters.

This book is a page-turner right from the beginning. I loved reading in this time period when men spoke to women like this (from page 23):

"See the two meadow flowers, the yellow and the violet? One is as different from the other as day from night. Yet who will say that one is more beautiful? Oh, a fool might. But only a fool... But do you know what may determine the desirability of one over the other?... The fragrance!"

Be still my heart! If you love that kind of subtle romance, you will love this book.

Anna shows such strength despite the overwhelming tragedies (one after the other) she faces in her young life. And even though she is a Countess, she is very down-to-earth and sensitive to those "under her" although it was a no-no for those of such high society. Her tenderness and innocense makes her so very likable.

The book goes back and forth between family life and what's politically going on in Poland during the late 1700s with the underlying romance throughout. You're always wondering about what will finally happen with Jan Stelnicki. At no point was this book boring!!!

I loved it.

I loved this book. There are so few novels on the market about Poland and Polish history (I don't know of any others!). This is indeed a rare find. The characters are well developed, the descriptions of locations and activities are wonderfully detailed and passionately written. The setting and content about the significant historical moments are woven in expertly. It really is a history lesson embedded in a very fast-moving and dramatic story. Yes, sometimes it may be a bit overly dramatic, but I really enjoy that rich, gossipy style. So cool that it is based on REAL journal entries. These characters come alive and will stay with you well after you are done reading. Great ending, too.

Looking forward to reading Chrimson Sky.

I found this historical fiction text to be absolutely enthralling! It has not only provided me with hours of enjoyable, page-turning reading, but has also given me great insight into my Polish ancestry and heritage. The strength, spirit, and heart of the Polish people--MY people--is wonderfully portrayed within the pages of this book. I'm so looking forward to receiving Mr. Martin's sequel, Against a Crimson Sky. I'm sure I'll not be disappointed!

I found the book very engaging. I loved the characters and can't wait to find out what happens next.

The Real Deal! No "Steve Mcqueen" character, but everyone a true hero.The Great Escape

It's a shame the publisher decided to put a picture on the cover of Steve McQueen wrapped up in the barbed wire at the end of his big motorcycle escape attempt. Because, you see, that never happened in the TRUE story of the Great Escape contained in this book. The movie (while good) took serious dramatic license, while Brickhill's book presents the facts. And they are quite inspiring and thrilling enough without the addition of fictional elements such as McQueen's stunt riding.
I first read this book while in elementary school, and was hooked to the extent that I've read it many times since over the decades. A truly outstanding story.

If you want to know how to make something out of nothing, this is the book for you. I've been reading and re-reading this book since early childhood and that's how I learned to make a needed item out of just what was at hand. McGyver had NUTHIN' on these guys.

MRS. Dee Schauer
Texas

I love the movie the Great Escape and I loved reading the book it was based on. The movie did an excellant job of following the book but reading the book gave me so much more of an understanding of what these men went through and the courage they had. To truely understand the courage these men had and what they went through, you have to read the book.

This is the (true) story of the efforts of a multinational group of POWs to escape during WW2, and led to what is one of my favourite films.

I anticipated the book to be a bit of a let down after seeing the movie, but it really wasn't. They emphasize quite different aspects, and some parts of the movie were clearly made up with entertainment value in mind (people jumping motorcycles over fences for instance!). I can't blame the movie makers of course, because the compelling essence of this story is the daily slog of tunnelling set against the backdrop of the mind-numbing drudgery of incarceration. No movie could be long enough to get this point across, but the book allows one to build up a better picture of what captivity was like, particularly because it provides such incredible details. I was really struck by the ingenious ways the prisoners found to fake German uniforms and official passes, improvise tools, and build radios and other vital pieces of equipment. The book provides sufficient descriptions to allow you to get an impression of the main characters and camp layout, though I personally would have enjoyed a few photographs of the people involved (good and bad), though I realise these wouldn't have been easy to obtain.

The author has a relatively dry style typical of a historian rather than a dramatist, and at times relates key events remarkably passionately. The book ratchets up the tension without having to try too hard however, and I could sense the tension that existed whenever the guards entered the barracks to check for tunnels. The depression that accompanies every uncovered tunnel jumps out of the page, as does the resolve to keep trying to escape without ever accepting captivity.

I was also pleased that the author described the events some time after the final escape, so that I could see how thoroughly the Allied authorities pursued the main protagonists, and what was their evetual fate.

This book was a fine testament to the memory of the brave men who didn't wilt despite literally years of incarceration in conditions that can best be desribed as spartan. If they had all died without anyone knowing their story the world would be a poorer place.

I don't use the word lightly -- but in this case "masterpiece" fits. This is in part the story of a group of extraordinary young men, Polish exiles who contributed mightily to the allied cause as fighter pilots in the Battle of Britain and beyond. The prowess and heroism of those men alone could have carried the book -- or a film, for that matter. But "A Question of Honor" is much, much more -- an epic, really, that covers the bravery of the Poles and the despicable manner in which they and their nation were treated, in 1939 and then in the latter period of the war. As the son of a Pole who was nineteen when the war began, I am very familiar with the story; but I had never seen it laid out so well. Olson and Cloud have produced a book that is both gripping drama and a brilliantly-prepared indictment of the powers that doomed Poland, by their aggression (Germany), their failure to keep their word (Britain, France), their lack of interest (the U.S. -- Roosevelt in particular), and -- in the worst case -- it is about the criminal neglect and barbarism of the Soviet Union, as Stalin prepared to take control over postwar Poland. More than anything, the authors show how realpolitik overran every promise, all good faith, and so many impulses to do the right thing. A brilliant, important book.

This is a great book. It outlines Poland's plight in WW 2 wonderfully. It focuses on the Polish Air Force, but covers politics quite well. The other Polish forces are also described (Home Army, Ander's Army (Italy), Aitborn, and I believe Western/Eastern Fronts). I think it is great coverage of the only nation to fight the German's, in force, on all fronts, from the beginning to the end in 1990's when Poland finally became free again.

I'll keep it short. The first half of the book, which actually talks about the Kosciuszko Squadron, was great. The second half, which relates the political squabbles between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin, was boring. Dead boring.

I found this book to be a highly entertaining and informative read. The exploits of the 303,in particular, are thrilling. I do feel that some of the momentum is lost when dealing with the political machinations of Churchill and Roosevelt, however less exciting, it is very important that these be revealed. The authors did an outstanding job of this. I've seen reviews that say this is done "out of context". I don't see a problem here. This is the account of intentionally overlooked heroes who fought for all and received nothing, from a world that seemed would rather that they just go away! I take this to heart as I am of Polish descent. My grandfather was born near Zamosc. The family, with the exception of his brother and himself were taken by the Russians to a Siberian gulag during the second partition, likely as suspected insurgents. My grandfather made his way to Amsterdam over a period of a few years and made his way to America by ship around the turn of the century. I've been to Poland, to Warsaw, the old town and could picture the devastation as I walked the streets. I've seen the monument to the uprising and the murdered. All this makes me wonder if this could be allowed today, In our "information age"? What if T.V. and video cameras were everywhere then as they are today? Could Churchill and Roosevelt get away with what they did? Would people remain indifferent as Warsaw was flattened and her allies watched? It's difficult to believe that such a thing could happen in a world that vilified a president for having sex but I do have faith in mankind's ability to forget,just change the channel, or with TIVO, not even watch what it does not wish to see. This is why we need books like this! I hope some one make it into a movie!

* I don't think forgotten is strong enough of a word.

The story of the Kozciuszko Squadron is important on so many levels it is difficult to know where to start. Poland fought WW2 from the first day to the last, on every front in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Ten million Poles perished and, in the end, those who survived were betrayed by their own allies. Yet here we have a story of heroes, brave men who battled almost insurmountable odds, with only one objective in mind - to get back into the fight and defeat history's greatest tyrant. It is a vital story, told by Olson and Cloud with the grace, style and precision it deserves. When you finish this you will definitely want to know more about the courage and resilience of Poles during the war and I highly recommend, Night of Flames: A Novel of World War II

The great Polish/Lithuanian empire ruled all of central europe at one point - from Berlin to Moscow. I'm betting most of you weren't even aware of that. I wasn't either until I started reading more of european history. In developing a friendship with some people of Polish descent they recommended this author and his nobel prize winning novels to me. I was daunted by its length and by the date of when it was originally written. However, I started reading and have been hooked on these books ever since. I have come to believe that Mr. Sienkiewicz is the father of the modern novel. This is not a stilted 18th century read!
It gives you history (from a polish perspective) with fictionalized characters and a compelling story behind the backdrop of the calamitous decline of a once proud and powerful empire. The characters are heroic, tragic, conflicted and wonderful to follow. You will love this book and the several sequels in this decades spanning story.
One doesn't win a Nobel prize in literature if they can't write and Mr. Sieniewicz earned his.

I have read "With Fire and Sword," "The Deluge," and "Pan Michael" ("Colonel Wolodyjowski") and I recommend all of them highly. The characters are memorable and well-developed, the heroes are likeable, and even the villains are understandable as people with very human motivations.

Ask around a bit and you'll find no shortage of folks, men in particular, who became readers via their encounters in youth with class adventure tales: The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, Ivanhoe, the Lord of the Rings, etc. ask again and you'll find almost no one whose heard of half the Nobel Laureates in Literature, fewer who've read them, and none enjoyed many of them. All the more remarkable then that one of the great adventure authors of all time actually won a Nobel and somewhat tragic that so few have read him in recent decades. But Henryk Sienkiewicz has made something of a comeback and it could not be more welcome.

Sienkiewicz is the great author of Poland--indeed, to some extent his works are said to have created and helped to maintain the strong Polish identity that prevailed through the troubled 20th Century. When his books were first published -- mostly late in the 19th Century -- the English translations were done by Teddy Roosevelt's friend Jeremiah Curtin and, whether they were adequate for their time, they are are terribly dated now and have served to put off potential readers. Add in the fact that neither the Nazis nor the Communists had much interest in fostering Polish patriotism and you've the recipe for lost classics. But then, fittingly as the Iron Curtain was crumbling, Hippocrene Books commissioned a new translation of his greatest works, The Trilogy and Quo Vadis?, by the highly-regarded Polish novelist W. S. Kuniczak, and these eminently readable versions won Sienkiewicz a modern audience. New translations of other works followed, then a terrific film version of In Desert and Wilderness, and a massive Polish television adaptation of the Trilogy. Suddenly we've a surfeit of riches and some catching up to do.

If you're just starting out it might be wise to begin with Quo Vadis?, a stand alone tale of Christians in Rome that really deserves a fresh film treatment. But it's well worth your time to dive into the Trilogy, the first volume of which is the magnificent With Fire and Sword. Set in 1647, amidst a Cossack uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it tells the story of a young Polish patriot and hero, Yan Skshetuski, and his love for the beautiful Helen, who is also coveted the brutal Bohun, who fights with the rebels. Pan Yan's twin tales give us epic history and grand romance, while his compatriots offer comic relief. There's his wily servant, Zjendjan, whose semi-faithful service somehow keeps lining his own pocket. There's the mopey giant Pan Longinus, who has sworn a vow of chastity until he lives up to the example of his forebears and takes off the heads of three enemy soldiers with one swing of his massive battle sword. There's Pan Michal Wolodyjowski, whose bravery and feistiness belie his diminutive stature. And, best of all, there's the Falstaffian Pan Zagloba, who makes up in drinking capacity, gluttony, and biting wit what he lacks in zeal for battle, as he keeps his one good eye peeled for threats to his corpulent frame.

It'll take you a hundred to a hundred and fifty pages to orient yourself and get used to the odd names and nicknames, but the subsequent thousand pages go by far too fast. It's one of those stories you don't ever want to end.

I've read Kuniczak's translation of the Trilogy and greatly enjoyed it. It was my introduction to Seinkiewicz. However, while reading it, it seemed somehow incoherent, like something was missing. It also seemed impossible that the companions of Zagloba would be so credulous of his boasting.

I went and found a copy of the 1890 translation of the Trilogy by Jeremiah Curtin. What a difference! Though the language is somewhat archaic, the story flows so much better and the character of Zagloba is much more believeable. There is more context to his antics, and his companions are presented as far more skeptical of his boasting, making the story much more realistic.

Kuniczak seems to have omitted and simplified much that appears in the Curtin translation, to the detriment of the story. Many believe the Kuniczak version is superior, and maybe it is more accessible, but I recommend you find the old editon in the basement of the local library and read it first.

This was one of the most sweeping epics I've ever read. It's over 1,000 pages, but it takes little effort to finish the book. I found myself white knuckled and breathless through many of the battle scenes. This was truly a good read for both men and women.