Don't Miss Lists and Other Reading Resources

Polish Heritage: Books published prior to 1992 see also Newer Titles

History

God's Playground, A History of Poland, in two volumes, by Norman Davies. 1982. 943.8 D288g.
Comprehensive survey of Polish History.

Heart of Europe: A Short History of Poland, by Norman Davies. 1986. 943.8 D288h.
Abridged version of God’s Playground.

A History of Poland, by Oskar Halecki. 1981. 943.8 H136h9.
Ninth edition of a classic work.

Poland: A Historical Atlas, by Iwo Cyprian Pogonowski. 1987. 911.438 P753p.
Detailed chronology and commentary, as well as maps covering 1,000 years.

The Polish Way: A Thousand-Year History of the Poles and Their Culture, by Adam Zamoyski. 943.8 Z14p. 1988.
Illustrated history from the 10th century, focusing on Poland's achievements as a European nation.

Jagiellonian Poland and Piast Poland, by Pawel Jasienica. 1978 and 1985. 943.802 J31j; 943.802 J31p.
History of Poland during the reign of the House of Piast, from the 10th to 16th centuries.

Poland in the Twentieth Century, by M. K. Dziewanowski. 1977. 943.8 D997p.
Twentieth-century conflicts as well as history of the 30-year republic,

On the Edge of Destruction: Jews of Poland Between the Two World Wars, by Celia S. Heller. 1977. 301.45192404 H36o.
Pictures of the Jews of Poland on the eve of their destruction.

The Struggles for Poland, by Neal Ascherson. 1987, 943.8 As24s.
History of 20th-century Poland.

Bitter Glory: Poland and Its Fate, 1918 to1939, by Richard M. Watt.. 1979. 943.804 W34b.
Highly acclaimed history of Poland between the wars.

Courier from Warsaw, by Jan Nowak. 1982. 940.534438 N86c.
Polish underground in World War II.

In the Shadow of Auschwitz: The Polish Government-In-Exile and The Jews, 1939-1942, by David Engel. 1987. 940.5315039240438 En32i.
Examination of political interaction between Jewish groups and the exiled Polish government..

The Invasion of Poland, by Alan Saunders. 1984. 943.804 Sa87i.
Part of the Turning Points of World War II series.

The Jews and the Poles in World War II, by Stefan Korbonski. 1989. 940.531809438 K841j.
Story of what the Poles did to try to save the Jews in spite of brutal Nazi reprisals.

Man in the Middle: A Story of the Polish Resistance, 1940-45, by Witold Sagajllo. 1985. 940.53438 Sa18m.
Story of the Polish resistance, 1940-45.

'My Brother's Keeper?': Recent Polish Debates on the Holocaust, ed. by Antony Polonsky. 1990. 940.531809438 M99m.
Essays centering on the question of what responsibility the Poles share for the mass murder of the Jews.

Poland in the Second World War, by Jozef Garlinski. 1985. 943.8053 G184p.
Poland's participation portrayed against the background of global conflict.

Polish Jews: The Final Chapter, by Earl Vinecour. 1977. 943.8004924 V75p.
Poignant monument to the once magnificent, now destroyed, civilization.

Revolution From Abroad: The Soviet Conquest of Poland's Western Ukraine and Western Belorussia, by Jan T. Gross. 1988. 943.8053 G914r.
Terror of the 1939 occupation of Eastern Poland.

Mad Dreams, Saving Graces: Poland: A Nation in Conspiracy, by Michael T. Kaufman. 1989. 943.805 K162m.
Modern history of Poland with emphasis on the underground struggles against Communism.

The Polish Challenge, by Kevin Ruane. 1982. 943.8056 R82p.
BBC coverage of events in Poland in 1980-1981.

Konspira: Solidarity Underground, by Maciej Lopinski 1990. 322.209438 L881k.
Interviews with Solidarity leaders during the time the movement was outlawed.

Poland's Self-limiting Revolution, by Jadwiga Staniszkis. 1984. 943.8055 St24p.
Explanation of political dynamics that led to the birth of Solidarity.

The Polish Revolution: Solidarity, by Timothy Garton Ash. 1984. 943.8056 G198p.
Lucid analysis of this "most paradoxical" of European revolutions.

Solidarity, Poland in the Season of Its Passion, by Lawrence Weschler. 1982 943.805 W511s.
American journalist's report of events of 1981.

Description

Hippocrene Insider's Guide to Poland. By Alexander Jordan. 1989. 914.380456 J761h.
Travel book for those who want to discover the real Poland.

Museums of Cracow. 1982. 709.40740386 M972m.
Art collections on display in former royal capital.

Pilgrimage: A Memoir of Poland and Rome, by James A. Michener. 1990. 914.380456 M582p.
Account of a two-week trip to Poland and Rome in 1988.

Poland: A Country Study, ed. by Glenn E. Curtis. 1994. 943.8 P757p3.
Updated profile of Poland, prepared for U.S. government officials.

The Poles: How They Live and Work, by Marc E. Heine. 1975. 943.805 H36p.
Covers virtually all aspects of life in Poland in the mid-70s.

Polish Cities: Travels in Cracow and the South, Gdansk, Malbork, and Warsaw, by Philip Ward. 1989. 914.380456 W216p.
Artistic and cultural guide to major cities, with excursions to other areas.

Portrait of Poland. 1982. 943.8 P838p.
Anthology compiled by Jan Krok-Paszkowski, preface by Czeslaw Milosz. Photographs of Poland in 1981.

The Private Poland, by Janine Wedel. 1986. 943.805 W414p.
An anthropologist looks at everyday life and contradictions in mid-80s Polish society.

Biography

The Survivor, by Jack Eisner. 1980. 943.8083 Ei87s.
Autobiography of a young man who survived the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, concentration camps and partisan fighting.

Memories of My Life in a Polish Village, 1930-1949, by Toby Fluek. 1990. 759.38 F671m.
Art and prose by a Polish-American artist, about her life in Poland.

A Prisoner of Martial Law: Poland, 1981-1982, by Jan Mur. 1984. 365.450924 M931m.
Journal kept by Solidarity activist while in Strzebielenek concentration camp;

The Memoirs of Jan Chryzostom z Goslawic Pasek. 1978. 943.8020924 P263p.
1656-1688 was one of the most turbulent periods of Poland’s history.

My Young Years and My Many Years, by Artur Rubenstein. 1973 and 1980. V.1: 786.1092 r82r; v. 2: 786.1092 R823r.
Two-volume autobiography of one of the 20th century’s greatest musicians.

Out of the Inferno: Poles Remember the Holocaust. 1989. 940.5315039240438 Ou8o.
Oral histories by 60 Christian men and women who survived the Nazi occupation.

The Priest and the Policeman, by John Moody. 1987. 943.8056 M773p.
The courageous life and cruel murder of Father Jerzy Popielusko.

The Liberation of One, by Romuald Spasowski. 1986. 943.8050924 Sp27s.
History of the birth and growth of the Communist state, by a high ranking official who defected to the U.S.

Lech Walesa and His Poland, by Mary Craig. 1987. 943.8050924 W148c.
Biography of the charismatic leader of Solidarity, through 1985.

A Way of Hope, by Lech Walesa. 1987. 322.20924 W148w.
Autobiography.

Pope John Paul II: The Life of Karol Wojtyla, by Mieczyslaw Malinski. 1979. 262.130924 J613m.
Biography of the Pope, with emphasis on his Polish background.

Have You Forgotten?, by Christine Zamoyska-Panek. 1989. 940.53438 Z14h.
A memoir of Poland, 1939-1945.

Literature

Between East and West: Writings from Kultura. 1990. 943.805 B466b.
Collection of essays and short stories of the last two decades.

Five Centuries of Polish Poetry, 1450-1950, ed. By Jerzy Peterkiewicz. 1960. 891.851 P44.
Anthology illustrating range and style of 500 years of Polish poetry.

Four Decades of Polish Essays, ed. By Jan Kott. 1990. 891.8547 F825f.
Anthology of works of the greatest Polish writers of this century.

The History of Polish Literature, by Czeslaw Milosz. 1969. 891.85 M63h.
Overview of Polish prose and poetry from the Middle Ages to the 1960s.

Introduction to Modern Polish Literature, by Adam Gillon. 1964. 891.85 G41i.
Anthology of 20th century fiction and poetry.

Letters from Prison and Other Essays, by Adam Michnik. 1985. 943.8056 M583l.
Milosz: “represents the best tradition of the Polish intelligentsia.”

New World Avenue and Vicinity, by Tadeusz Konwicki. 1991.
Sketches and reminiscences of post-war Warsaw.

Selected Poems: The Weight of the Body, by Stanislaw Baranczak. 1989. 891.8517 B231s.
Poems written in Poland and later in the U.S.

Music

Favorite Songs From “Treasured Polish Songs,” with English translations. 1960. 784.49438 F279f.

Music of Another World, ed. By Szymon Laks. 1989. 940.5318 L149m.
Music at Auschwitz.

Polish Christmas Carols, by Jacquelyn Beahm. 1983. 783.65 B359p.

World Charts Presents the Polish Songbook. 1976. 784.49438 W893w.

Madison Public Library has many CDs of music by Polish composers such as Chopin, Paderewski and Rubenstein.

Cookbooks

Art of Polish Cooking, by Alina Zeranski. 1968. 641.5948 Z5a.

The Best of Polish Cooking: Recipes for Entertaining and Special Occasions. 1983. 641.59438 W52b.

Polish Cook Book. 1979. 641.59438 P759p.

Polish Cookbook. 1976. 641.59438 C897p.

Polish Americans

And My Children Did Not Know Me: A History of the Polish-Americans, by John Bukowczyk. 1986. 973.049185 B869a.
New interpretation of the Polish experience in America.

Behold! The Polish-Americans, by Joseph Wytrwal. 1977. 973.049185 W997b.
Most thorough coverage of Poles in American history and culture.

Faith and Fatherland: the Polish Church War in Wisconsin,by Anthony Kuzniewski. 1980. 282.775 K969f.
Conflict for Polish representation in American Catholic hierarchy at the turn of the century.

For God and Country, by Victor Greene. 1975. 973.049185 G83f.
The rise of Polish and Lithuanian ethnic consciousness in America, 1860-1910.

The Last Fine Time, by Verlyn Klinkenborg. 1991. 974.7970430922 K688l.
Story of a family of Polish immigrants and their bar in Buffalo, NY.

My Name is Million, by W.S. Kuniczak. 1978. 973.049185 K962m.
An illustrated history of the Poles in America.

Tracing Your Polish Roots, by Maralyn Wellauer. 1979. 929.1072 W458p.
Genealogy "how to" book.

The library also has books and audio materials for learning the Polish language and books in Polish in the World Language Collection.

Fiction

The Canary and Other Tales of Martial Law, by Marek Nowakowski. 1984.
Collection of short stories set in 1981 Poland.

The Deluge, by Henryk Sienkiewicz. 1971. Historical novel of Poland, Seden and Russia. Sequel to With Fire and Sword.

The King of the Fields, by Isaac Bashevis Singer. 1988.
Novel of prehistoric Poland.

The Painted Bird, by Jerzy Kosinski. 1976.
Wanderings of a stray child in eastern Poland in World War II.

Poland, by James Michener. 1983.
Historical novel, covering eight periods of Poland since the 13th century.

Russian and Polish Women's Fiction. 1985.
Stories by women writers.

White Eagle, Dark Skies, by Jean Karsavian. 1974.
Life in Pland under the Tsars, at the turn of the century.

With Fire and Sword, by Henryk Sienkiewicz. 1991.
New translation of classic tale.