Hi,

Ever wanted to introduce Polish culture to English friends but knew they weren't particularly interested?

Or have you ever wanted to put together a small bookshelf for English visitors to a Polish home? Or put a themed bookshelf in one of those fancy Wetherspoons that has bookshelves?

Something a drunk might browse almost by accident?

I have.

Constraints to the game

I'm only going to pick books I have on my own bookshelves.

That way, I won't list any of those Polish school curriculum classics I refuse to read that might normally make a list like this elsewhere. Begone, Mickiewicz!

And we'll limit things to 12. Because Jesus had 12 apostles and there are 12 zodiac signs. It's fate.

1. Lonely Planet's guide to Poland

About 20 years ago, it seemed people weren't allowed to visit a country unless they were carrying its respective Lonely Planet guide. It has to go on the shelf, almost by default.

2. Solaris by Stanisław Lem

A book about a guy talking to a planet. But the planet's language is made up of recreating real life people from the guy's past. Super weird but great. Likely to make you feel uncomfortable whatever page you browse to.

3. Polish Writing Today

Lots of small excerpts of famous writers, including a mix of poems, short stories and scenes from novels. A snapshot of what was considered worth reading in 1967. You can spend 30 seconds to 30 minutes in this quite happily.

4. Flights by Olga Tokarczuk

The first Polish winner of the Man Booker International Prize, so you can't really mess with that. It's also one of Tokarczuk's patchwork novels, so you can basically just read a random section, find a self-contained short story, and then move on with your life.

5. The English-Polish Business Dictionary

It's archaic to have a physical dictionary these days. When you can point your phone's camera at any image and have it translated immediately on screen, they are fairly redundant. But there are so many amusing terms you find in an unnecessary beast like this. Great fun.

6. Quarks, Elephants & Pierogi: Poland in 100 words

I co-wrote this, so self-promo, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more inviting introduction to Polish culture in my honest totally unbiased sober opinion.

7. Casting by Katarzyna Kozyra

I'd put this on the shelf just because it has lots of naked people in it. Nudity is always popular.

8. Young Poland: The Polish Arts and Crafts Movement, 1890-1918

One of the most interesting artistic periods in Poland's history is covered here in the most definitive English book out there. And wherever you browse to, it has beautiful art.

9. Polish Design: UNCUT

Lots of pictures of nice chairs that will make you wonder if Habitat stock them.

10. Killing the 2nd Dog by Marek Hlasko

I found this in a charity shop recently. I haven't read it yet, and I don't know if I'll even like it, but that's a title that will gets passersby pulling a book off a shelf.

11. 1989 by Chris Niedenthal

The most famous images from Poland's tumultuous 1980s are pretty much all by Chris Niedenthal. This book is full of brilliant images from the year the country finally started to rejoin the corrupt fun-filled world of capitalism.

12. STRYJEŃSKA

The artist that made cheesy old Polish folk suddenly artistic. Also one of the only big Polish artists that seemed to be into Poland's pagan history. Tonnes of great images in here.

Do you have any books that you'd put on the Polish shelf of your local Wetherspoons? Let me know.

Song of the week

And seeing as we're thinking of books for English people who aren't particularly enthused, how about a song? The extremely catchy chorus of Wanda i Banda's Hi-Fi is singable by all English people with no clue nor need to bother with the rest of the lyrics' meaning.

"High fee superstar, super hit!"

Bonus point: here is a terrible sounding live version.

That's quite enough for this week, don't you think? Give me your keys. I'll call you a taxi.

Adam

Adam Zulawski

TranslatingMarek.com / Procrastilearning.com / More stuff

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