Książki Marcina Mellera. Poleca, co warto czytać w te wakacje | Tygodnik Polityka

Justyna Sobolewska's guest in the new episode of the videocast "Polityka o Książki" is Marcin Meller, reporter and author of bestsellers such as "Red Earth" and "Children of the Lion." In this conversation, Marcin broke all records, bringing 150% of his quota of book recommendations to the studio to answer the most important question: what's worth reading and what books to pack for vacation. In this episode, we focus on literary discoveries perfect for summer. You'll learn why Nino Haratischwili's monumental "The Eighth Life" is an absolute must-read (and Meller's personal crusade) and why Kiran Desai's 800-page novel, "The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny," is a brilliant love story, combining the sweep of Anna Karenina with the intimacy of Sally Rooney's prose. Marcin also reveals his admiration for women's fiction, from Ann Patchett to Elena Ferrante. He recommends Bernard Gromek's "Revolverium," which he calls a brilliant historical read. We also return to the fundamentals: you'll learn how Edmund Niziurski shaped Meller the reader and why, as a child, he called himself "Wiktor" in honor of the hero of "The Book of Urwisów." Marcin Meller shows unique editions that created the underground circulation, recalling his youthful obsession with Tadeusz Konwicki and the influence Leopold Tyrmand and his "Diary 54" had on him. You'll hear why Joseph Heller's "Catch-22" forever calibrated his sense of humor, and why Arturo Pérez-Reverte and Wojciech Jagielski are his unrivaled models for war reporting. You'll also hear the anecdote about how a single conversation saved Jakub Żulczyk's writing career, and discover what Miron Białoszewski sounds like reading Lem in unique recordings for the blind. This is a compendium of knowledge about which books are worth reading for an unforgettable vacation. 🔎 In this episode, you'll learn: 1. Why is "The Eighth Life" a must-read? You'll discover the reasons why this Georgian family saga became Meller's "crusade" and why he considers it one of the most important books of his life. 2. How to survive high school finals with underground literature? You'll hear about smuggled editions of Konwicki and Tyrmand and a bookbinder who "saved" banned books. 3. How to save a writer from a career in advertising? You'll hear the story of Jakub Żulczyk and the agency director who refused him a copywriting job to stop him from writing novels. 4. Who is the master of revenge and black humor? You'll learn why "The Count of Monte Cristo" is the ideal plot for Meller and how Joseph Heller taught him to look at the absurdity of reality. 🔎 Timeline: 00:04:54 – Konwicki, Tyrmand, and "forbidden" books from the communist era 00:17:12 – Why is "The Count of Monte Cristo" the ideal revenge story? 00:21:54 – Masters of black humor: Joseph Heller and Arturo Pérez-Reverte 00:27:43 – Does Meller pay homage to other writers in his novels? 00:38:16 – The great turn to women: Haratischwili, Ferrante, and Slimani 00:45:41 – What to read on vacation? Highly recommended (not just by Niziurski!) 00:56:46 – A literary gem: Miron Białoszewski 00:58:55 – Jakub Żulczyk's beginnings and the anecdote that saved his career 01:04:32 – Discovery of the year: Bernard Gromek and the historical thriller "Revolverium" 👉 Learn more at polityka.pl https://www.polityka.pl/ Follow us on social media: 👉 Facebook   / tygodnikpolityka   👉 Instagram   / tygodnikpolityka   👉 X https://x.com/Polityka_pl