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Known for his philosophic poetry that questions and ponders the human condition in place and in time, Zagajewski, author of two collections of poems, Tremor and Canvas, and a previous collection of essays, Solidarity, Solitude, has produced another compelling and thought-provoking group of essays. Autobiographical at their core, these pieces were written by an author who steps outside himself to contemplate his past. A cog in the machinery of history, Zagajewski has led a rootless life; he says, "If people are divided into the settled, the emigrants, and the homeless, then I certainly belong to the third category." As the parts of his life story begin to fall into place, an ironic and sad tapestry unrolls itself. Yet he's not all gloom and doom; he's often funny, and his humility is a strong virtue.

Book Description:

In this varied collection of deeply personal, lyrical essays and short literary sketches, leading contemporary Polish poet Adam Zagajewski contends with the effects of coming of age, both artistically and intellectually, in a totalitarian regime. No matter their subject, Zagajewski's essays have the subtlety and resonance of poetry; his is one of the most intriguing voices in today's Europe.