Describe Books During Gottland
| Original Title: | Gottland |
| ISBN: | 8389755629 |
| Edition Language: | Polish URL https://czarne.com.pl/katalog/ksiazki/gottland |
| Setting: | Czechoslovakia |
| Literary Awards: | Nike Literary Award (Nagroda Literacka Nike) for Audience (2007), Prix AMPHI (2009), European Book Prize for Fiction (2009), Angelus Nominee (2007) |
Mariusz Szczygieł
Paperback | Pages: 232 pages Rating: 4.31 | 3381 Users | 202 Reviews
Ilustration Supposing Books Gottland
I read this book in Italian. I was forced to.Despite of my moderate efforts, my current Polish doesn't go very far. And no one thought to give this book a chance on the English speaking market.
Which is a shame.
Perhaps it's just the name of its author, Szczygiel (roughly pronounced Shigyaooh).
Perhaps it's the title of the book, Gottland (no, it's not German).
On the whole, for an average British or American reader, I assume there seems to be very little to get from such obscure and tongue-twisting coordinates.
Which, once again, is a shame.
And if some brave English or American publisher will some day consider the possibility of translating this book, then comes the main topic of it: Czechoslovakia now split into Czech Republic and Slovakia. Which sounds like a further problem. At least for the likes of George W Bush who himself took Slovakia for Slovenia and viceversa.
I mean, apparently there is not that much to say about it, isn't it? Apart from explaining to the Bush family where this little forgotten country can be found on a map.
And unfortunately there are very little if no chances at all that Gottland will become a movie one day with, say, Leonardo Di Caprio performing Tomasz Bata, Natalie Portman putting herself in the shoes of Lida Baarova and Vaclav Havel starring as himself.
That's why I read the Italian translation of Gottland. Because I couldn't wait.
For "Gottland" is what I don't hesitate to call a masterpiece.
And a little publisher named "Nottetempo" had a moment of commercial folly or misunderstood geniality a few years ago.
My girlfriend told me that Marius S. (I will call him like that) was the host of the Polish version of something similar to the David Letterman Show which doesn't explain why he got so much into Czech Republic, but it's nice to report here.
What Marius S. did with Gottland is amazing. This book is gem of real stories coming from the country formerly known as Czechoslovakia covering the twentieth century with the interlude of two world wards, a nazi occupation and a communist dictatorship. The last one being the worst break on many accounts.
Reading Gottland one becomes eager to meet an actual, authentic Czech or Slovak person to check whether Marius S. got these people right. I suppose he did.
What I personally suggest is to either learn Polish or Italian, get this book and read it. I'm sure you will be surprised on how quick will be this process (once you learned one of the two above mentioned languages). And then I suggest you to start mentioning the term "Gottland" in your conversations.
You can refer to this book while talking about a wide range of subjects including cinema, monuments, architecture, taxi rides, literature, Prague, music, trials, Kafka, theater and... shoes.
Perhaps, little by little, someone who counts in the literary business of your country will hear the word "Gottland" being pronounced giving way to a further translation of this book. But I suppose that learning Polish may be easier.
Itemize Based On Books Gottland
| Title | : | Gottland |
| Author | : | Mariusz Szczygieł |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 232 pages |
| Published | : | October 2008 by Czarne (first published 2006) |
| Categories | : | Nonfiction. History. European Literature. Polish Literature. Czech Literature |
Rating Based On Books Gottland
Ratings: 4.31 From 3381 Users | 202 ReviewsCriticize Based On Books Gottland
Unfortunately this book is not available in English (though I sincerely hope somebody fixes that soon), so I read the excellent French translation by Margot Carlier. It's a terrific book, engaging and moving and funny (in a sort of bleak, Mitteleuropan way). I was particularly struck by the story of the building of the Stalin monument in Prague in the late 50's among other calamities that surround its construction, the artist's model who posed for Stalin ends up killing himself because everyoneWhat a book. A joy to read, even though it's seldom uplifting. Makes me want to go to the Czech Republic right away and read it again. If you have any interest in Eastern European or communist history, then you should order it right away.
A very good book showing how the communistic system can destroy people (with a single example that similar things can happen today). I liked it a lot, but sometimes I found the style of writing to be too laconic, short and sharp in the rhythm (as the author admits in the postscriptum). It might be typical for reportage though, I'm not sure since it's the first time I read a book from this genre.
I remember listening to the audiobook in the middle of winter of 2012/2013, pushing a pram through snow, day after day. Even today I am inclined to think this book is objectively, not subjectively, depressing. 3,5 stars.
I don't give this book the maximum score, because I've thought that it would be even better. Nevertheless, usually I don't like the irony, but here it's so slick and subtle that it's a pleasure to read it. By the wya, putting the longest chapter in the beginning was quite unusual and bold choice - I can only congratulate.
I read this book in Italian. I was forced to.Despite of my moderate efforts, my current Polish doesn't go very far. And no one thought to give this book a chance on the English speaking market.Which is a shame.Perhaps it's just the name of its author, Szczygiel (roughly pronounced Shigyaooh).Perhaps it's the title of the book, Gottland (no, it's not German).On the whole, for an average British or American reader, I assume there seems to be very little to get from such obscure and tongue-twisting
I read this book because a Czech friend said I should read about Tomas Bata, and by chance, Gottland starts out with a story about him. That story and all the rest are surreal tales of life during the war years and the Soviet era. There are, by turns, fascinating, horrible, and hilarious, often all at once. Great writing and amazing bits of Czech history.
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