Synopsis
The Polish Complex takes place on Christmas Eve, from early morning until late in the evening, as a line of people (including the narrator, whose name is Konwicki) stand and wait in front of a jewelry store in Warsaw. Through the narrator we are told of what happens among those standing in line outside this store, what happens as the narrator's mind thinks and rants about the current state of Poland, and what happens as he imagines the failed Polish rebellion of 1863. The novel's form allows Konwicki (both character and author) to roam around and through Poland's past and present, and to range freely through whatever comes to his attention. By turns comic, lyrical, despairing, and liberating, The Polish Complex stands as one of the most important novels to have come out of Poland since World War II.
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Review
"The Polish Complex is a powerful and engaging book, deomonstrating how in the less fortunate parts of the world history becomes a private obsession, and how the collective subconscious can determine the fates of both individuals and nations." -- New York Review of Books "Like such other anarchic spirits as Flann O'Brien and Celine, Konwicki has a lovely way of writing, which never clogs chaos with self-pity and bestows upon the direst pages sentences of casual magic... Konwicki is effortlessly witty." -- John Updike, The New Yorker "An impassioned, furious polemic on Poland's impossible condition. Konwicki... Writes like a man who has nothing to lose--and who wants to use that freedom for the primary and urgent task of speaking the raw, unmediated truth." -- New York Times Book Review
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The Polish Complex (Writers from the other Europe)
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Seller Inventory # H09B-01364
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The Polish Complex
Seller: HPB Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
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paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_439898635
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The Polish Complex
Seller: HPB-Diamond, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_454626046
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The Polish Complex
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0140065903I5N00
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The Polish Complex
Published by
Penguin Publishing Group, 1984
ISBN 10: 0140065903
ISBN 13: 9780140065909
Used
Softcover
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. First Edition (first pb). Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 4791897-75
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The Polish Complex (Writers from the other Europe)
Seller: AwesomeBooks, Wallingford, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The Polish Complex (Writers from the other Europe) This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780140065909
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The Polish Complex
Published by
Penguin Books, 1984
ISBN 10: 0140065903
ISBN 13: 9780140065909
Used
Soft cover
First Edition
Seller: Bruce McLeod, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Very Good reprint trade paperback. Approx. 5x8, 211 pages. No markings, solid binding, clean pages, quite nice. The author was born into a worker's family in 1926 near Vilna, Lithuania. He attended a high school run secretly under the Nazi occupation, and after the Nazi defeat joined a guerrilla unit fighting Russian troops. Later his native region was absorbed into the Soviet Union and he moved to Poland. This novel is about life in Poland - bold, imaginative and enlightening. Seller Inventory # 008168
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The Polish Complex (Writers from the other Europe)
Seller: Bahamut Media, Reading, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780140065909
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The Polish Complex
Seller: Barksdale Books, Almere, Netherlands
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Fair. Waterstains first pages. Seller Inventory # 215544