Record Number: 29389

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'On his arrival in Poland Conrad knew from our contemporary literature only "Popioly" and "Panna Mery". During his two-month stay he devoured almost all that was worth reading in fiction and drama. "Devoured" is the right word, for he read with unusual, unbelievable speed. I was constantly bringing him new books; he used to get impatient when on finishing one, there was not another at hand. In every case his judgement was correct — in respect both of the book as a whole and of the particular style of each author. Wyspianski and Zeromski made the greatest impression on him. "Oh, how I would like to translate it!" he said about "Warszawianska".[...] His favorite books by Zeromski were "Popioly" and "Syzyfowy prace". I should mention Prus. The first work of Prus I gave Conrad was "Emancypantki", one of my favorite books.[...] I warned him "Perhaps the first volume will not be up to your expectations, but don't give up [...]" (In the case of "Chlopi" I could not persuade him to read further volumes; "I know already what's coming" he said.) [...] When he had finished the entire novel ["Emancypatki"], he remarked with amazement, "Ma chère, c'est mieux que Dickens!". [...] First I gave him "Lalka " to read, then "Faraon". [...] Conrad kept asking for more books by Prus [...]. He read with passion "Palac i rudera" and "Powracajaca fala", books which I confess left me thoroughly bored.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 2 Aug 1914 and 2 Oct 1914

Country:

Poland

Time

n/a

Place:

Zakopane
Villa Konstantynowka, Jagiellonska Street

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Joseph Conrad

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

3 Dec 1857

Socio-Economic Group:

Gentry
'szlachta' Polish landed gentry

Occupation:

master mariner and author

Religion:

Catholic

Country of Origin:

Poland

Country of Experience:

Poland

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Stanislaw Wyspianski

Title:

Warszawianka

Genre:

Drama

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

1901

Provenance

borrowed (private library)

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Source Information:

Record ID:

29389

Source:

Print

Author:

Aniela Zagorska

Editor:

Zdzislaw Najder trans. Halina Carroll-Najder

Title:

A Few Reminiscences of Conrad (repr. in Conrad Under Familial Eyes)

Place of Publication:

Cambridge

Date of Publication:

1983

Vol:

n/a

Page:

214-215

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Aniela Zagorska, Zdzislaw Najder trans. Halina Carroll-Najder (ed.), A Few Reminiscences of Conrad (repr. in Conrad Under Familial Eyes) , (Cambridge, 1983), p. 214-215, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=29389, accessed: 03 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

None