Notes from Poland

In this short bonus episode, Stanley Bill takes a bird’s-eye view of Polish history, flying through over a thousand years in five minutes to identify the key geopolitical trends.Produced by Sebastian Leśniewski. Support the show

Discover the pivotal year of 966, marking the baptism of Mieszko and the birth of the Polish state. Explore the intriguing pre-Christian cultures and the complex transition from paganism to Christianity. Learn about the impact of the Latin alphabet and key figures like Mieszko I. Delve into the tragic missionary story of Adalbertus and the subsequent rise of Christian Poland under Duke Bolesław I. This engaging narrative highlights the intertwining of cultural identity and religious transformation at Poland's historical crossroads.

To accompany Stanley Bill's interview with Jennifer Croft, we also present a short news update from Notes from Poland deputy editor Monika Prończuk in Warsaw on the Polish prime minister's recent policy statement speech and on the latest ruling of the European Court of Justice on judicial independence in Poland. Support the show

In the first episode of the Notes from Poland podcast, Stanley Bill talks to Jennifer Croft, the award-winning American translator of Poland's new Nobel laureate, Olga Tokarczuk.In an in-depth interview with Jennifer Croft, Stanley Bill asks about Olga Tokarczuk's Nobel triumph; the masterpiece The Books of Jacob, which Jennifer is currently translating into English; the earlier novel Flights, for which Jennifer and Tokarczuk won the International Booker Prize in 2018; Jennifer's own writing, including her recently published memoir Homesick; the relation between writing and translation; and Jennifer's path into Polish culture. Producer: Sebastian LeśniewskiSupport the show