I have been working out here in Angola since last September, and from various returnees had been hearing some very, uh, interesting tales of the independence struggle against the Portugese and the seemingly endless Civil War that followed. So when I came across “Another Day of Life” in Waterstones on a trip back to the UK I bought it on the spot.
Fantastic discovery! Anybody else know this author? It seems he is the Polish equivalent of Jon Snow or something so I suspect it may be that it is typical English myopia that he is not know in the UK. Is he more so elsewhere - on the Continent, or just in Poland?
Obviously I see the Amazon recommendations and reviews but any personal recommendations or highlights?
One phrase won me over.
Background. Here in Luanda things are still pretty difficult now but back in 1975 when Zaire was shelling Luanda, the FNLA and MPLA were fighting, the Portuguese were marking time on the way home and South Africa were shaping to invade; well things it seem were almost unimaginably bad. And Ryszard spots some graffiti on a wall downtown:
"God Help Us!..And do not send your Son this time - come yourself."
It takes an extraordinary journalist to spot the commonplace and make it memorable. Just wanted to share…
He is absolutely amazing. I am a huge fan of his, and very proud to be his compatriot! At the moment I am reading a collection of his thoughts/sketches/journal-entries called the Lapidaria. It was previously published in parts (I believe there may be 4 or 5 of them by now), this is a collected edition. His shaprness of perception and the mixture of intelect AND empathy make him one of the most extraordinary journalists of our time.
I strongly suggest “Lapidaria”. It just gives you a glimpse how rich his perception of the smallest things can be, especially when not bound by one, dominant subject.
“The Emperor” is also great.
I’ve only read The Emperor and Shah of Shahs. Both are brilliant, but especially the former. I’ve no idea how he sourced it, but the climax where the officials gradually fade away and the court evaporates would be a fabulous piece of writing even if entirely invented.
Actually he was rather fashionable in Britain back in the 80s, when his books were a mainstay of Picador’s list. In terms of his profile, I think the turning point was Imperium. Having so brilliantly written about upheavals elsewhere, there was an expectation that his book about the one on his doorstep would be the definitive statement about the collapse of the Soviet Union. The reviews at the time felt it hadn’t lived up to that anticipation and I think his reputation in the UK has slightly suffered since. (Though I note that the Amazon customer reviews of the book are all very positive.)
From what you say combined with Amazon reviews it looks like I should check out ***Lapidaria * ** or ***The Emperor * ** next. I will probably go for the former - I have had a liking for collections of journalistic writings ever since reading Hunter S Thompson’s “The Great Shark Hunt”. Thanks.
Interesting too to hear about his profile back in the 1980s. I was a good customer of the Picador list back then, but have no recollection of him back then. I guess I was reading different stuff back then…
Only two 23 hits and 2 responses - not exactly mainstream interest now is he?!