What do you think?
Rate this book
A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True
On the eve of World War II, in a place called Half-Village, a young man nicknamed the Pigeon falls in love with a girl fabled for her angelic looks. To court Anielica Hetmanská he offers up his "golden hands" to transform her family’s modest hut into a beautiful home, thereby building his way into her heart.
Then war arrives to cut short their courtship, delay their marriage, and wreak havoc in all their lives, even sending the young lovers far from home to the promise of a new life in Kraków.
Nearly fifty years later, their granddaughter, Beata, repeats their postwar journey, seeking a new life in the fairy-tale city of her grandmother’s stories. But when she arrives in Kraków, instead of the whispered prosperity of the New Poland, she discovers a city caught between its future and its past, and full of frustrated youths. Taken in by her toughtalking cousin Irena and Irena’s glamorous daughter Magda, Beata struggles to find her own place in 1990s Kraków and in the constellation of Irena and Magda’s fierce love. But unexpected events-- tragedies and miracles-- can change lives and open eyes. And Beata may just find a new way of seeing her family's and her country's history-- as well as a vision for her own role in the New Poland.
Whimsical, wise, beautiful, magical, and sometimes even heartbreaking, A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True weaves together two remarkable stories, reimagining half a century of Polish history through the legacy of one unforgettable love affair.
Then war arrives to cut short their courtship, delay their marriage, and wreak havoc in all their lives, even sending the young lovers far from home to the promise of a new life in Kraków.
Nearly fifty years later, their granddaughter, Beata, repeats their postwar journey, seeking a new life in the fairy-tale city of her grandmother’s stories. But when she arrives in Kraków, instead of the whispered prosperity of the New Poland, she discovers a city caught between its future and its past, and full of frustrated youths. Taken in by her toughtalking cousin Irena and Irena’s glamorous daughter Magda, Beata struggles to find her own place in 1990s Kraków and in the constellation of Irena and Magda’s fierce love. But unexpected events-- tragedies and miracles-- can change lives and open eyes. And Beata may just find a new way of seeing her family's and her country's history-- as well as a vision for her own role in the New Poland.
Whimsical, wise, beautiful, magical, and sometimes even heartbreaking, A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True weaves together two remarkable stories, reimagining half a century of Polish history through the legacy of one unforgettable love affair.
354 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
185 people are currently reading
3205 people want to read
About the author
Brigid Pasulka
4Ìýbooks83ÌýfollowersBrigid Pasulka is the author of A LONG, LONG TIME AGO AND ESSENTIALLY TRUE, which won the 2010 Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award and was a Barnes & Noble Discover selection. Her second novel, THE SUN AND OTHER STARS, was a Chicago Tribune Editor's Choice and an Indie Next pick. Visit her website at BrigidPasulka.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 386 reviews
August 25, 2019
Update - 2019: I'm raising my original rating by a star because I keep coming back to this book and feeling like I rated it too low. I haven't read another book with Polish representation like this one; at least, not yet! I still plan to reread this sometime soon, as well!
****
2/5
I feel bad because one of my English professors lent this to me after I had mentioned that I’d never read a (good) book with Polish culture intertwined within the story. This novel was not an exception to that, though. Unfortunately.
As a Polish gal I’m always subconsciously looking for novels that represent Polish culture well; so of course when my professor eagerly offered this one, I was ecstatic. Fast forward three days and there’s me painfully trying to get through this - and unfortunately, I couldn’t. It's so slow, and I didn't like any of the characters. So once I was halfway through, I couldn’t help myself: I started skimming. Honestly, it was getting to the point where I would've preferred napping to reading.
I guess I’m never going to read a book where Polish culture is properly depicted (I hope this isn’t true). Now, perhaps it is well represented; however, nothing in here is near to how my family acts. So, maybe, other Polish families might act this way, but mine doesn’t (and I have a rather large family). In addition, there were some Polish words used throughout the novel - words that I’ve never heard my family/friends use. It didn't feel fluid the way the words were used in the dialogue; then again, it's probably because the words being used are ones I didn't grow up hearing. Alongside that, the story takes place on the eve of World War II, so the language was obviously different... Still, it was odd to read them and feel like the words were misplaced.
Overall, I’m more upset that I didn’t like this because my professor lent this to me. Other than that, I’m glad to be done reading/skimming it.
****
2/5
I feel bad because one of my English professors lent this to me after I had mentioned that I’d never read a (good) book with Polish culture intertwined within the story. This novel was not an exception to that, though. Unfortunately.
As a Polish gal I’m always subconsciously looking for novels that represent Polish culture well; so of course when my professor eagerly offered this one, I was ecstatic. Fast forward three days and there’s me painfully trying to get through this - and unfortunately, I couldn’t. It's so slow, and I didn't like any of the characters. So once I was halfway through, I couldn’t help myself: I started skimming. Honestly, it was getting to the point where I would've preferred napping to reading.
I guess I’m never going to read a book where Polish culture is properly depicted (I hope this isn’t true). Now, perhaps it is well represented; however, nothing in here is near to how my family acts. So, maybe, other Polish families might act this way, but mine doesn’t (and I have a rather large family). In addition, there were some Polish words used throughout the novel - words that I’ve never heard my family/friends use. It didn't feel fluid the way the words were used in the dialogue; then again, it's probably because the words being used are ones I didn't grow up hearing. Alongside that, the story takes place on the eve of World War II, so the language was obviously different... Still, it was odd to read them and feel like the words were misplaced.
Overall, I’m more upset that I didn’t like this because my professor lent this to me. Other than that, I’m glad to be done reading/skimming it.
March 27, 2012
I'm going to admit, I got this book at a borders going out of business sale specifically because I liked the cover art. I think subconsciously, the title and art reminded me of "everything is illuminated" and "extremely loud and incredibly close" I didn't realize this might be why i picked it up until i got to the second chapter and thought "hmm, two different time periods this sounds familiar". Initially, foolishly, I thought "this seems like a rip off, I'm sure I'm going to hate it" and to be perfectly honest I almost stopped reading it BUT I am sooo glad that I didn't. This book really took a hold of me, once I was a few chapters in I could not put it down. It transported me in to the world of a small village in Poland during the Nazi invasion, to the life of a small town polish girl of the 90s trying to find her place in a world where she didn't quite fit in. The characters are all well written and easily relate able. I laughed, and cried. This is a read I can't quite compare to anything else, and definitely will never forget. I'm sure in the next few years I will be reading it again.
July 16, 2010
I love when you read a book thinking that it will probably be just a decent read but you begin to read and realize that you have a gem in your hands--a gem that you end up really loving. A Long Long Time Ago & Essentially True was that kind of experience for me.
Pasulka skillfully intertwines the two threads of the story until they become one--inextricably bound by Poland's history and the hope of a better future. The stories are told in alternating chapters. I've read books where the transitions feels awkward and jumbled and I find myself forgetting or getting bored with one storyline. Pasulka delicately handled these transitions in a way that made sense. She ended the chapters right where they needed to end and I was able to effortlessly glide through the book. I really appreciated this.
The first of the story lines revolves around Pigeon and Anielica Hetmanski and their love story which is sweet and innocent but tragic in ways. The progression of their relationship was one of my favorite parts of the story. Their love story is forever changed by World War II (this isn't a war story, I promise) as they must deal with the immediate dangers of war along with the rebuilding in the aftermath. The second storyline springs forward to modern Poland with Baba Yaga (the granddaughter of Anielica) as she comes to the city after the death of her grandmother and tries to grapple with her culture and finding her place in Krakow. Baba Yaga is a endearing heroine in my mind as she grows. I found her so relateable as a young woman--she isn't strong in a traditional sense, she isn't sure about herself or her future, and she sells her self short time and time again.
My only major qualm with this gem of a book is this: I don't mind when an author sprinkles the native language of the characters into the narrative as long as I am able to deduce the meaning of the word from the "context clues." (oh hey there 5th grade language lessons.) I feel like the author used way too many Polish words and it wasn't always clear what they meant.
I would highly recommend this debut novel. Her writing is magical in itself and her characters are alive and complex. There are beautiful little mini love stories throughout but not in the mushy gushy way--so real you could mistake them for the stories of your own grandparents or great grandparents. This book is full of wit, wisdom, and hope--all needed to balance the heartbreak and tragedy. It pays homage to the lives of those who had to live through the War/Communist regime and the generation who had to move forward with those pieces.
You will be moved. I'm just warning you.
**reviewed this on my blog too**
Pasulka skillfully intertwines the two threads of the story until they become one--inextricably bound by Poland's history and the hope of a better future. The stories are told in alternating chapters. I've read books where the transitions feels awkward and jumbled and I find myself forgetting or getting bored with one storyline. Pasulka delicately handled these transitions in a way that made sense. She ended the chapters right where they needed to end and I was able to effortlessly glide through the book. I really appreciated this.
The first of the story lines revolves around Pigeon and Anielica Hetmanski and their love story which is sweet and innocent but tragic in ways. The progression of their relationship was one of my favorite parts of the story. Their love story is forever changed by World War II (this isn't a war story, I promise) as they must deal with the immediate dangers of war along with the rebuilding in the aftermath. The second storyline springs forward to modern Poland with Baba Yaga (the granddaughter of Anielica) as she comes to the city after the death of her grandmother and tries to grapple with her culture and finding her place in Krakow. Baba Yaga is a endearing heroine in my mind as she grows. I found her so relateable as a young woman--she isn't strong in a traditional sense, she isn't sure about herself or her future, and she sells her self short time and time again.
My only major qualm with this gem of a book is this: I don't mind when an author sprinkles the native language of the characters into the narrative as long as I am able to deduce the meaning of the word from the "context clues." (oh hey there 5th grade language lessons.) I feel like the author used way too many Polish words and it wasn't always clear what they meant.
I would highly recommend this debut novel. Her writing is magical in itself and her characters are alive and complex. There are beautiful little mini love stories throughout but not in the mushy gushy way--so real you could mistake them for the stories of your own grandparents or great grandparents. This book is full of wit, wisdom, and hope--all needed to balance the heartbreak and tragedy. It pays homage to the lives of those who had to live through the War/Communist regime and the generation who had to move forward with those pieces.
You will be moved. I'm just warning you.
**reviewed this on my blog too**
June 1, 2022
This book took me a while to finish only because I was savoring it, soaking up all these characters and scenarios while falling in love with a story that takes place a long, long time ago. This is a well written story!!
The story switches from current day Poland back to when WW2 was going on in Poland. I do not like spoilers, so all I will say is family and friends, as well as generations after, is how this story unfolds. Many emotions were brought out while I was reading, such as feeling frightened for the character’s safety along with anxiety. A beautiful love story develops and I couldn’t help but feel that joy deep inside of me grow very strong over their union. Scenarios of humor occurred, having me laugh out loud many times. However; unfortunately, there is also pain that I felt deep inside that had me at tears. The cherry on top of my sundae, was the shocking surprise I never seen coming - not just one, but two shockers.
I really enjoyed reading this story. I also loved that the author included words, throughout the story, in the polish language. Being a descendant of Polish/Ukrainian/Russian immigrants, who spoke these languages to me as a child into adulthood, was a real treat to read and hear myself pronounce. With my mother and all her family already passed on, I was given moments of hearing recognizable words they use to say, that filled my heart up with such joy. I was given the gift of once again, hearing the voices of my family from so long ago.
The story switches from current day Poland back to when WW2 was going on in Poland. I do not like spoilers, so all I will say is family and friends, as well as generations after, is how this story unfolds. Many emotions were brought out while I was reading, such as feeling frightened for the character’s safety along with anxiety. A beautiful love story develops and I couldn’t help but feel that joy deep inside of me grow very strong over their union. Scenarios of humor occurred, having me laugh out loud many times. However; unfortunately, there is also pain that I felt deep inside that had me at tears. The cherry on top of my sundae, was the shocking surprise I never seen coming - not just one, but two shockers.
I really enjoyed reading this story. I also loved that the author included words, throughout the story, in the polish language. Being a descendant of Polish/Ukrainian/Russian immigrants, who spoke these languages to me as a child into adulthood, was a real treat to read and hear myself pronounce. With my mother and all her family already passed on, I was given moments of hearing recognizable words they use to say, that filled my heart up with such joy. I was given the gift of once again, hearing the voices of my family from so long ago.
September 9, 2014
It was a pleasure to listen to. It wasn't a short book but I never once looked at my figurative watch. Characters that I fully believed in and wanted to root for. Wonderful dialogue that made me laugh. I guess I want to describe it as a sweet story - even though of course many bad things happened, as any story of Poland since '39 would have to. But it's told in a smart, soft, humorous, ironic tone. I very much enjoyed the back and forth between the historical and more recent narratives and thought it was very effective as a way to link the characters and themes. A different sort of book from the harrowing, depressing stories I sometimes choose. Maybe not something I'd want every time, but this time, absolutely! By the end I decided even not to be annoyed by all the Polish words the author decided to use (especially confusing in audiobook format)
July 26, 2011
I really, really enjoyed this book. Firstly, I'm a history nerd, so I loved reading the story of Poland from it's (brief) independence between the two world wars, to it's struggle for survival during WWII, to it's suppression and subversion during the Soviet era, to the ""New Poland"" that is struggling to find itself during the post-Cold War world. This book is told in two different eras--one in pre-during-post WWII Poland and one in the ""New Poland"" of the 1990s. To be honest, it took me a few chapters to get into the book--each chapter flits back and forth between the story of Pigeon (Czeslaw) & Anielica (and their families) in 1930s-1940s Poland and the story of Baba Yaba (Beata), Irena & Magda in the 1990s in Poland. However, I am so glad I stuck it out. Each character is beautiful and it's amazing how the two eras weave themselves together into one seamless story. The author does a beautiful job of introducing characters and then later revealing their significance, after you've already formed an opinion about them--which, invariably, turns your opinion around. You cheer for Baba Yaga, for Wladislaw Jagiello and his bride Marysia, for Jakub, for Pigeon and Anielica, for the Hetmanskis, for Irenka/Irena, for Stash and for Magda. This story leaves you guessing from beginning to end, but it never gets stale, it never gets tiresome and it never gets too drawn out. The book ends at the perfect moment--it doesn't leave you wanting the author to continue on in anyone's story, but it isn't tied up in a neat little package either. Throughout the book, you really feel as if these stories are "mostly true" and that these characters are alive and well in Poland somewhere living their lives 20 years after the fall of communism. A superb read...I'd recommend it to anyone.
January 3, 2012
I am reviewing the Audible.com. version of this book.
I didn't know what to expect from this book....but I truly loved it. It goes back and forth between the WWII years in Poland and the immediate aftermath and Poland in the 80's and 90's where change is still on the brink as they shed off their Soviet clothing and remember who they are as Poles. It flows easily between the two eras and the two eras are brought together in the end in a most beautiful, soft and complete way... the author didn't have to force anything.
I listened to this book on a whim because the story sounded fascinating and I liked the title. I love the friendship of the three women in the "present" and I love all of the Villagers who eventually become completely disbanded from each other and come together again. I have read enough novels by Soviet writers and I believe I understand the Soviet mind a bit... they thought they had the answers...but they did not. At least not for the Polish people.
When listening to an audiobook there are 2 components: the story written by the author and the narrator. Without checking, I figured there had to be 2 narrators since the voices were all so finely done...but it is ONE narrator and she is just remarkable. Sometimes I don't enjoy women as much as men, but Cassandra Campbell totally pulls it off. 5/5 stars for both narration and story! This book really endeared me to it.
I didn't know what to expect from this book....but I truly loved it. It goes back and forth between the WWII years in Poland and the immediate aftermath and Poland in the 80's and 90's where change is still on the brink as they shed off their Soviet clothing and remember who they are as Poles. It flows easily between the two eras and the two eras are brought together in the end in a most beautiful, soft and complete way... the author didn't have to force anything.
I listened to this book on a whim because the story sounded fascinating and I liked the title. I love the friendship of the three women in the "present" and I love all of the Villagers who eventually become completely disbanded from each other and come together again. I have read enough novels by Soviet writers and I believe I understand the Soviet mind a bit... they thought they had the answers...but they did not. At least not for the Polish people.
When listening to an audiobook there are 2 components: the story written by the author and the narrator. Without checking, I figured there had to be 2 narrators since the voices were all so finely done...but it is ONE narrator and she is just remarkable. Sometimes I don't enjoy women as much as men, but Cassandra Campbell totally pulls it off. 5/5 stars for both narration and story! This book really endeared me to it.
September 5, 2012
The tears are still fresh in my eyes from the end of this beautiful novel. I enjoyed this book so much more than I expected to when it was chosen for our book club or even during the first quarter of the story. I had honestly grown weary of WWII novels, because I've read so many and because they are all so heart-wrenching. But the thing is that there are so many stories ... so many sides to the suffering, the loss, the choices and compromises. And so many great stories of hope and love and kindness and camaraderie from that era.
This charming novel has all of that, and is beautifully told. It weaves together two equally compelling stories with humor and tenderness. It introduced me to places and times I wasn't familiar with: WWII-era rural Poland and early '90's post-communist Krakow. Both stories, distant and more-recent past, describe how the characters move on through great change despite the hardships ... to live "as if." I enjoyed all of the memorable characters and was left wanting to know more about them.
I look forward to meeting Ms. Pasulka next week when she joins our book club for our discussion of her novel, and can't wait to find out more about her experiences that inspired this book.
This charming novel has all of that, and is beautifully told. It weaves together two equally compelling stories with humor and tenderness. It introduced me to places and times I wasn't familiar with: WWII-era rural Poland and early '90's post-communist Krakow. Both stories, distant and more-recent past, describe how the characters move on through great change despite the hardships ... to live "as if." I enjoyed all of the memorable characters and was left wanting to know more about them.
I look forward to meeting Ms. Pasulka next week when she joins our book club for our discussion of her novel, and can't wait to find out more about her experiences that inspired this book.
July 21, 2014
I found this book hard to read until I abandoned the alternating points of view and read one story through to the end and then the other. It made everything less confusing I was able to enjoy both stories. There is much to admire here. Brigid Pasulka clearly gets the mind set of Poles both currently and during the war. However, the wartime love story suffered from a lack of space compared with the contemporary one. I speak Polish and was puzzled by the seemingly random use of Polish words where the English equivalent would have made the text more clear. Foreign words or expressions in a text can add flavor to a book especially when there is no equivalent translation. but I found this randomness irritating.
August 18, 2019
Wow I did love this!! A classic multigenerational historical fiction with some romance and lots of sad stuff. It was interesting to read about World War II and the Soviet Union from the perspective of non Jewish polish people, can’t say I’ve ever done that!
April 13, 2022
Odczuwałam wewnętrzny ból podczas czytania tej książki
November 5, 2012
Brigid Pasulka’s first novel, A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True, alternates two chronological settings by chapter. The “long, long time ago� follows Pigeon and Angelicia in Poland just before and during World War Two in third person omniscient, and the “present� is narrated in the first person perspective of ‘Baba Yaga� (a poorly explained nickname with little apparent significance). It isn’t until a good way into the narrative that the relationship between the two chronologies becomes clear, and even later into the narrative that the relationship between Angelicia/Pigeon and Baba Yaga is explained. I suspect this mystery is meant to be intriguing; however, for this reader it was only frustrating and confusing.
Perhaps I missed the pay-off of the big reveal of how the two story lines relate because I was preoccupied with working out how the writing in the ‘long long time ago� sections could be good, while the writing in the ‘presen’t could be terrible. What circumstances allow the same writer to simultaneously write well and write terribly? I’m going to hazard that it’s point of view that got in the way. The first person sections couldn’t sustain the kind of magical, fairytale quality aimed for (and achieved!) in the “once upon a time� of “long long ago,� and instead fell somewhere between dull and convoluted. Without the motivation to care about Baba Yaga I found myself plodding through her chapters, waiting to return to the intrigue and romance of the world war two narrative. And when the two chronologies eventually merge (as we know from the beginning they are bound to do, because it is that kind of story) the whole thing falls to pieces, as Pasulka can’t seem to find a unified point of view to allow the merged chronologies to read as anything other than stilted.
So� what did I find redeeming? I suppose there’s something to be said for a narrative that takes a longer view of history and introduces readers to the temporal scope of suffering experienced by ordinary villagers between the outbreak of World War Two and the fall of the iron curtain (do we capitalize Iron Curtain? Maybe it ought to be Iron. Curtain. Or Iron! Curtain!). Makes me think of the new history out - Bloodlands - that aims to capture just this kind of prolonged suffering. In any case, I admire the ambitious scope, even if I find the writing itself terribly uneven and without a decided thematic focus (rather a frustratingly contradictory thematic interest: is this a book about breaking from the past? about making choices? about confronting and learning from history? about accepting the immeasurable affect/effect the past has on individual decisions in the present? about the need to commit to one’s history or the need to disavow it?).
(Or are all of my disparaging remarks a consequence of my current scepticism about soul mates?)
Perhaps I missed the pay-off of the big reveal of how the two story lines relate because I was preoccupied with working out how the writing in the ‘long long time ago� sections could be good, while the writing in the ‘presen’t could be terrible. What circumstances allow the same writer to simultaneously write well and write terribly? I’m going to hazard that it’s point of view that got in the way. The first person sections couldn’t sustain the kind of magical, fairytale quality aimed for (and achieved!) in the “once upon a time� of “long long ago,� and instead fell somewhere between dull and convoluted. Without the motivation to care about Baba Yaga I found myself plodding through her chapters, waiting to return to the intrigue and romance of the world war two narrative. And when the two chronologies eventually merge (as we know from the beginning they are bound to do, because it is that kind of story) the whole thing falls to pieces, as Pasulka can’t seem to find a unified point of view to allow the merged chronologies to read as anything other than stilted.
So� what did I find redeeming? I suppose there’s something to be said for a narrative that takes a longer view of history and introduces readers to the temporal scope of suffering experienced by ordinary villagers between the outbreak of World War Two and the fall of the iron curtain (do we capitalize Iron Curtain? Maybe it ought to be Iron. Curtain. Or Iron! Curtain!). Makes me think of the new history out - Bloodlands - that aims to capture just this kind of prolonged suffering. In any case, I admire the ambitious scope, even if I find the writing itself terribly uneven and without a decided thematic focus (rather a frustratingly contradictory thematic interest: is this a book about breaking from the past? about making choices? about confronting and learning from history? about accepting the immeasurable affect/effect the past has on individual decisions in the present? about the need to commit to one’s history or the need to disavow it?).
(Or are all of my disparaging remarks a consequence of my current scepticism about soul mates?)
May 14, 2018
In a Poland on the cusp of World War II, two unlikely people will fall in love. Their courtship, their choices and all the hardship and terror of war will guide the rest of their lives and the lives of those that come after them. Told in two time periods, we also come to know Beata - a millennial living in the post-Communist New Poland, who has come to Krakow to try and find a direction in life. Living with her aunt and cousin and working dead-end jobs, Beata knows that there are essential pieces to her grandmother's stories that have been left out but will the answers help her make peace with her past? Or with the past of her beloved Poland, who in the past half century was literally drawn through the wringer and back out?
Both an engaging and well-woven book of family stories and the power of family ties as well as a love letter to Poland and Krakow, in particular, this book will break your heart and put it back together again.
I loved this. Loved it. The narrators were INCREDIBLE. I loved hearing the correct pronunciation of proper names and places. Yes, it's sometimes a really hard and sad story. But I felt like the author never shoved me down so far that there wasn't a way back out, there is beauty and kindness and sympathy too. There is determination and an incredible ability to overcome hardship, I loved getting a better sense of the Polish people and how important collective memory is in a country that has been occupied twice, by two different groups of people, in recent memory. I really wish I'd read it before my trip to Poland but the nice thing was that as I read, I had Krakow in my mind, so much was familiar that it's possible part of why I loved this book so much had to do with how much I fell in love with this country when I visited last year.
I liked the switch between the two time periods and how things slowly were tied together between the two. I loved the differences between village life and city life and how that could change you. I appreciated how the author allowed her characters to grieve and how they managed to work through it. Just a really interesting and well-written story.
note: strong language and adult themes
Both an engaging and well-woven book of family stories and the power of family ties as well as a love letter to Poland and Krakow, in particular, this book will break your heart and put it back together again.
I loved this. Loved it. The narrators were INCREDIBLE. I loved hearing the correct pronunciation of proper names and places. Yes, it's sometimes a really hard and sad story. But I felt like the author never shoved me down so far that there wasn't a way back out, there is beauty and kindness and sympathy too. There is determination and an incredible ability to overcome hardship, I loved getting a better sense of the Polish people and how important collective memory is in a country that has been occupied twice, by two different groups of people, in recent memory. I really wish I'd read it before my trip to Poland but the nice thing was that as I read, I had Krakow in my mind, so much was familiar that it's possible part of why I loved this book so much had to do with how much I fell in love with this country when I visited last year.
I liked the switch between the two time periods and how things slowly were tied together between the two. I loved the differences between village life and city life and how that could change you. I appreciated how the author allowed her characters to grieve and how they managed to work through it. Just a really interesting and well-written story.
note: strong language and adult themes
dnf
May 17, 2017I don't usually give up on books after 20 pages, or if I do I just remove them from my shelves altogether, but in this case I feel a need to explain myself.
My issue with this book is that it's a typical case of an American discovering their pre-migration roots. It's so obvious that Pasulka tries to throw all the grasped elements of Polish culture, history, and, especially, language at the reader all the time. I don't know how much time she put into research but it. Was. Not. Enough. The biggest obstacle isthe language. These 20 pages contained countless Polish words, a lot of them perfectly useless as an English one would suffice. But worse than that, so many words were used wrong, as the writer took serious liberties with our complicated grammar. Sorry, Pasulka, but if you as a writer decide to put so many native words into your text, i don't care how confusing the language is - it was your choice, and it's your responsibility as a writer to do it well. As it was, it was hurting my eyes and mind to see it.
I pity all the non-Polish readers even more because they are left not understanding half of the text.
You can ask yourself if it's a real reason to abandon a book. I've been asking myself that for a good couple of days but I decided that yes, it is. I got burned on similar attempts a couple of times before. I'm not helping anyone in their half-assed attempt at self-discovery. If you want me to read it, write it well.
Also I'm sorry to let this book go because I wanted to read it for years but I cannot bear it.
My issue with this book is that it's a typical case of an American discovering their pre-migration roots. It's so obvious that Pasulka tries to throw all the grasped elements of Polish culture, history, and, especially, language at the reader all the time. I don't know how much time she put into research but it. Was. Not. Enough. The biggest obstacle isthe language. These 20 pages contained countless Polish words, a lot of them perfectly useless as an English one would suffice. But worse than that, so many words were used wrong, as the writer took serious liberties with our complicated grammar. Sorry, Pasulka, but if you as a writer decide to put so many native words into your text, i don't care how confusing the language is - it was your choice, and it's your responsibility as a writer to do it well. As it was, it was hurting my eyes and mind to see it.
I pity all the non-Polish readers even more because they are left not understanding half of the text.
You can ask yourself if it's a real reason to abandon a book. I've been asking myself that for a good couple of days but I decided that yes, it is. I got burned on similar attempts a couple of times before. I'm not helping anyone in their half-assed attempt at self-discovery. If you want me to read it, write it well.
Also I'm sorry to let this book go because I wanted to read it for years but I cannot bear it.
June 1, 2014
I'm biased because I lived in Poland for a year and speak Polish. I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be a fascinating storyline and also SO TRUE to Poland. The characters were very real to me (I think, since Ms. Pasulka spent some time in Poland, she wrote true to the people). I always found it curious how so many Polish people are fiercely defensive of their country, yet simultaneously despise it and believe that life is better anywhere outside its borders. The same sentiment seems to apply to the way they view themselves as individuals as well. God knows I love them (he really does). I really appreciated all of the Polish phrases and swear words... it was fun to have an advantage over other readers and to understand them (they are mostly clear from context, but not always).
I found the storyline and historical aspect to be realistic and accurate. The old story thread helped me to understand a more personal side of the pain that Poland suffered during WWII. I loved the two storylines weaving together and felt it cultivating in myself an appreciation for genealogy and the past, both within my family and without.
I would highly recommend this book.
I found the storyline and historical aspect to be realistic and accurate. The old story thread helped me to understand a more personal side of the pain that Poland suffered during WWII. I loved the two storylines weaving together and felt it cultivating in myself an appreciation for genealogy and the past, both within my family and without.
I would highly recommend this book.
October 29, 2009
I really loved this book; it is exactly my 'type' of book if I were to have a type. Baba Yaga, or Beata, is a completely relatable character who I really felt like I understood. The romance in the book is also really beautiful, it was a real romance that didn't depend on harlequin-esque ramblings or sensuous details. At the end of the book, even though things didn't turn out as I hoped for everyone, I felt a certain sense of peace about it all, like there was definitely a lesson to be learned and that life, with all its misery and failed hopes, is still something to be grateful and thankful for and that there is beauty to be found in every small detail and especially our relationships. I loved the characters here, and I really enjoyed learning more about Poland during and after the war, because I was unaware of a lot of what the people there went through. Amazing book. So glad I read it!
May 26, 2015
“The Pigeon was not one to sit around and pine, and so the day after he saw the beautiful Anielica Hetmańska up on Old Baldy Hill, he went to talk to her father� (1). So begins A Long Long Time Ago and Essentially True by Brigid Pasulka. This is a beautifully written novel that explores themes of survival, patience, love and sacrifice. It alternates between the story of a young man who falls in love with Anielica from Half-Village just before World War II begins and Poland after the fall of communism in the 1990s. I liked this novel very much.
This novel has been described as a fable, and the title certainly gives it that feeling. When the Pigeon (who is so called due to his large nose and awkward gait) sees Anielica being kind to his older brother Jakub, a simpleton, he falls in love with her and decides to woo her. Unlike her many other suitors (for she is very beautiful), the Pigeon does not approach her father and ask to keep company with her. Instead, he walks to Half-Village where she lives (two hills and three valleys away from his own) and asks her father if he may make some improvements to their house (which is little more than a hut with a dirt floor). The Pigeon is good with his hands and a hard worker and eventually renovates their entire house. For free. During this time, he does not speak with Anielica, but instead keeps his distance. Eventually, the Pigeon’s non-courtship woos Anielica and she speaks to him, then falls in love with him. However, World War II, in the form of Nazi bombs, interrupts their romance. The Pigeon manages to stay in the area to protect his adopted home of Half-Village and also to fight for Poland’s freedom.
Almost fifty years later, as Poland moves from socialism to capitalism, society undergoes many difficult changes. Beata, known more as her nickname Baba Yaga, is the granddaughter of the Pigeon and Anielica. She lives in Krakow with her aunt Irena and her cousin Magda. Baba Yaga is adrift in Krakow, trying to fit into the “New Poland� but caught between others� expectations of her and her dreams and the strong, often antagonistic but still loving relationship between Irena and Magda.
The writing in this book is amazing. It is very much like reading a fable. This is a description of the Pigeon’s village, rather, a large rock formation near the Pigeon’s village called “the Napping Knight�: “The Napping Knight was the optimists� name for the Sleeping Knight, a rock formation and legend that is believed to wake in times of trouble to help the Polish people. After being thoroughly tuckered out by the Tatars, Ottomans, Turks, Cossacks, Russians, Prussians, and Swedes, however, it hadn’t risen in some time, and would, in the years of Nazi occupation, also come to be known as the Oversleeping Knight, later, during the Soviets, the Blasted Malingering Knight� (6).
I was much more engrossed in the story of the Half-Village and Anielica and the Pigeon. While all the characters are very complex and alive, the story from the past interested me more because I liked the characters more. The Pigeon, with his odd, comical nickname, is a great hero. He is resourceful, smart, quick-thinking and brave. He is also generous and kind. He manages, with the help of others, to keep the villagers of the Half-Village safe from the Nazis. However, he is not flashy or gregarious—he does what needs to be done. He’s likeable and heroic without being unbelievable as a character. Anielica, whom he eventually marries, also possesses a quiet strength. She shows it while enduring the war in her village, and later, when many of the Half-Village residents (those left alive) move to Krakow. The country is now a communist satellite of the Soviet Union, and the Pigeon, who fought against the Soviets to free Poland, is under constant suspicion. One day, when her husband is at work and she is three months pregnant, a man from the government knocks on her door:
Baby Yaga, their granddaughter, is not so likeable. Her parents died when she was younger and have no real place in the story. She lived with her grandmother Nela (Anielica) until she too died. I was interested in her story as well, probably because I liked Magda and Irena and wanted to follow their story, which is linked to hers. However, Baba Yaga does not possess the strength and fortitude of her grandparents. She is timid and bland and keeps secrets and lies when she shouldn’t and tells the truth when she should have lied. She’s young (18, 19) and I know I’m being harsh, but I don’t like her at all. The world she lives in and the people around her are much more dynamic than she is and I often wanted the author to abandon Baba Yaga and tell me more about Irena or Magda or Stash, Irena’s long-suffering admirer. Even Kinga, a friend of Baba Yaga’s who works with her at Stash’s club, is desperately seeking a better life than Poland can offer her and is more interesting.
In the end, however, the stories and lives reconnect and the fable of the couple from the Half-Village is complete. There are some elements of happiness and joy in this novel, but it is also rather melancholy. It made me very interested in reading more about Poland’s history. I really don’t have anything negative to say about the novel. It’s complex and beautifully written. The plot is character-based and slow-moving (although the Half-Village tale is actually more fast-paced and kept me turning the pages). This novel may not be for everyone, but I recommend it. It’s well worth reading, not just once, but many times. The art work on the cover (which is why I bought it—I’m so shallow) is very eye-catching and attractive.
This novel has been described as a fable, and the title certainly gives it that feeling. When the Pigeon (who is so called due to his large nose and awkward gait) sees Anielica being kind to his older brother Jakub, a simpleton, he falls in love with her and decides to woo her. Unlike her many other suitors (for she is very beautiful), the Pigeon does not approach her father and ask to keep company with her. Instead, he walks to Half-Village where she lives (two hills and three valleys away from his own) and asks her father if he may make some improvements to their house (which is little more than a hut with a dirt floor). The Pigeon is good with his hands and a hard worker and eventually renovates their entire house. For free. During this time, he does not speak with Anielica, but instead keeps his distance. Eventually, the Pigeon’s non-courtship woos Anielica and she speaks to him, then falls in love with him. However, World War II, in the form of Nazi bombs, interrupts their romance. The Pigeon manages to stay in the area to protect his adopted home of Half-Village and also to fight for Poland’s freedom.
Almost fifty years later, as Poland moves from socialism to capitalism, society undergoes many difficult changes. Beata, known more as her nickname Baba Yaga, is the granddaughter of the Pigeon and Anielica. She lives in Krakow with her aunt Irena and her cousin Magda. Baba Yaga is adrift in Krakow, trying to fit into the “New Poland� but caught between others� expectations of her and her dreams and the strong, often antagonistic but still loving relationship between Irena and Magda.
The writing in this book is amazing. It is very much like reading a fable. This is a description of the Pigeon’s village, rather, a large rock formation near the Pigeon’s village called “the Napping Knight�: “The Napping Knight was the optimists� name for the Sleeping Knight, a rock formation and legend that is believed to wake in times of trouble to help the Polish people. After being thoroughly tuckered out by the Tatars, Ottomans, Turks, Cossacks, Russians, Prussians, and Swedes, however, it hadn’t risen in some time, and would, in the years of Nazi occupation, also come to be known as the Oversleeping Knight, later, during the Soviets, the Blasted Malingering Knight� (6).
I was much more engrossed in the story of the Half-Village and Anielica and the Pigeon. While all the characters are very complex and alive, the story from the past interested me more because I liked the characters more. The Pigeon, with his odd, comical nickname, is a great hero. He is resourceful, smart, quick-thinking and brave. He is also generous and kind. He manages, with the help of others, to keep the villagers of the Half-Village safe from the Nazis. However, he is not flashy or gregarious—he does what needs to be done. He’s likeable and heroic without being unbelievable as a character. Anielica, whom he eventually marries, also possesses a quiet strength. She shows it while enduring the war in her village, and later, when many of the Half-Village residents (those left alive) move to Krakow. The country is now a communist satellite of the Soviet Union, and the Pigeon, who fought against the Soviets to free Poland, is under constant suspicion. One day, when her husband is at work and she is three months pregnant, a man from the government knocks on her door:
“People who have never heard the Knock, who have never felt the Knock echoing against their temples or ricocheting around their insides always tell about it happening in the middle of the night, but the truth is that the middle of the night is only a euphemism for when you least expect it, and honestly, you never quite expect it. Anielica did not think twice that morning when she flung open the door, her mouth full of acid, her heart racing, her eyes bleary, like a wild animal under attack, looking for either relief or someone to blame. And certainly the man on the other side of the door did not look threatening in the least� (283).Anielica and the Pigeon make very difficult decisions, but they do so because they love each other and are trying to survive in this new communist Poland.
Baby Yaga, their granddaughter, is not so likeable. Her parents died when she was younger and have no real place in the story. She lived with her grandmother Nela (Anielica) until she too died. I was interested in her story as well, probably because I liked Magda and Irena and wanted to follow their story, which is linked to hers. However, Baba Yaga does not possess the strength and fortitude of her grandparents. She is timid and bland and keeps secrets and lies when she shouldn’t and tells the truth when she should have lied. She’s young (18, 19) and I know I’m being harsh, but I don’t like her at all. The world she lives in and the people around her are much more dynamic than she is and I often wanted the author to abandon Baba Yaga and tell me more about Irena or Magda or Stash, Irena’s long-suffering admirer. Even Kinga, a friend of Baba Yaga’s who works with her at Stash’s club, is desperately seeking a better life than Poland can offer her and is more interesting.
In the end, however, the stories and lives reconnect and the fable of the couple from the Half-Village is complete. There are some elements of happiness and joy in this novel, but it is also rather melancholy. It made me very interested in reading more about Poland’s history. I really don’t have anything negative to say about the novel. It’s complex and beautifully written. The plot is character-based and slow-moving (although the Half-Village tale is actually more fast-paced and kept me turning the pages). This novel may not be for everyone, but I recommend it. It’s well worth reading, not just once, but many times. The art work on the cover (which is why I bought it—I’m so shallow) is very eye-catching and attractive.
October 24, 2020
I started off liking the book but somewhere along the way, it lost steam. I also had an idea of what would happen, it’s signposted clearly enough. So the fact that it took a while to get there made it more boring. I also felt that the present day, which is the more important timeline, didn’t hold a candle to the past - I mean, problem of plenty can’t compete much with the problem of starvation and subjugation, compelling story wise.
On the plus side, I did like the prose. I might look out for other books by this author.
On the plus side, I did like the prose. I might look out for other books by this author.
November 18, 2023
There's something extraordinarily tedious about a past that is all heroes and monsters and a present that, in comparison, is utterly lacking in personality. Not only does it leave little room for a reader's instinctive sympathy, it makes for characters that don't develop, a plot that goes nowhere, and a culture that seems to be little more than what the multitudes of entities that it excoriates (except for said categories that count as 'diverse', of course) are not. If you're wondering how I ended up here, I chalk it up to still present weakness for WWII narratives and a pieced-together assumption that most of my whiteness is made up of Polishness, and given how rarely I ran into the latter in my reading way back in 2011, this book seemed like a prime opportunity. Unfortunately, this is the kind of story that tepidly washes into an intrepid/hardworking/stiff upper lip future until garrotted by one crisis or another, and neither a completely arbitrary death nor an entirely decontextualized reunion managed to rescue the story from its boring narrator and even more boring 'we will persevere cause that's what we do' thematic drive. All in all, if you came to this in hopes of learning something about a country named Poland, you best be in the mood for the usual WWII and everything that came after it pathos, because this is the kind of work that talks a lot about how inspiring/comforting/cathartic the scenes are, but actually making the reader feel it outside of dredging up mass-antisemitism every once a while is another matter entirely.
February 28, 2013
It's between 3 and a 4 stars for me. I went with 4 because I am still thinking about it. I liked the interweaving of stories of different generations of family and the stories were good (could have been great?), but I think what makes me still think about it is the tie to my Polish heritage. I thought that the author, coming to Poland to learn the language and culture and going around interviewing folks to get their stories, was wonderful.
I did think that dropping in the Polish words (there were quite a few-maybe trying a bit too hard?) made it entertaining and was true to culture - my mom is similar to Irena in that she speaks her mind and can be quite funny. Most of the words were curse words, but if you don't speak/read Polish, I can see how it would make it difficult to read. I thought about my English speaking friends when I read those parts and worried that it may turn them off from the book.
My family also has amazing stories and I wish my mother and grandmother would write them down. It does make me want to go back to Poland and visit Krakow, now that I am older/wiser and have a respect for the hardship filled history of the Polish people. I do feel that fighting spirit in my blood and I have no doubt it has shaped the strong woman I am today.
So I think this book for me was more than just the story. It's making me think about family and history and I want to learn more about my heritage. I am even having dreams where I walking in the Rynek and speaking in Polish. That is a sign of a good book to me.
I did think that dropping in the Polish words (there were quite a few-maybe trying a bit too hard?) made it entertaining and was true to culture - my mom is similar to Irena in that she speaks her mind and can be quite funny. Most of the words were curse words, but if you don't speak/read Polish, I can see how it would make it difficult to read. I thought about my English speaking friends when I read those parts and worried that it may turn them off from the book.
My family also has amazing stories and I wish my mother and grandmother would write them down. It does make me want to go back to Poland and visit Krakow, now that I am older/wiser and have a respect for the hardship filled history of the Polish people. I do feel that fighting spirit in my blood and I have no doubt it has shaped the strong woman I am today.
So I think this book for me was more than just the story. It's making me think about family and history and I want to learn more about my heritage. I am even having dreams where I walking in the Rynek and speaking in Polish. That is a sign of a good book to me.
January 16, 2025
I don't know when I put this on my Kindle, but I am so grateful to my past self. The author is something like me - a Polish-American from the Midwest who is curious about Polish history and spent time in Poland in the 1990's. So the two timelines, the WWII one and the one in post-Communist Krakow, were both super interesting to me. It captures so much of what I experienced about the nature of Polish culture. I especially loved the Polish words that were thrown in, as I often use them to jazz up my English. Loved the writing, loved the characters, loved the humor and thoughtfulness of this book!
April 4, 2016
I read this book to lead a book discussion at the library. It's not a book that I would have necessarily picked up on my own, but I'm glad I did. It's beautifully written and the characters are all so tangible. I was a little cautious since it's yet another WWII book, but it was done so well, and the focus wasn't completely on the war - and didn't take place strictly during that time period.
I found that I had a hard time putting it down. Not that it's suspense, it's just so beautiful and I wanted more and more.
I found that I had a hard time putting it down. Not that it's suspense, it's just so beautiful and I wanted more and more.
October 13, 2024
A delightful gem!
A wonderful, beautifully written story spanning multiple generations and eras of Polish history. I read this while visiting Krakow. It gave me a whole new understanding and appreciation for the city as well as the Polish experience. Highly recommended!
A wonderful, beautifully written story spanning multiple generations and eras of Polish history. I read this while visiting Krakow. It gave me a whole new understanding and appreciation for the city as well as the Polish experience. Highly recommended!
January 14, 2024
A few quotes to show the wonderful writing style�
p. 20
“The number 8 tram scrapes along Kroewska Street like a knife cutting along the radius of a tree stump, crossing the ring roads that divide the city, slowly revealing its age. At the very center is the main square-the Rynek-guarded by the centuries old kamienice that once held the Nazi officers � Next come the idealistic, postwar blocks of flats, built with honest sweat by honest men, followed immediately by the sprawling osiedla, pinned together by dishonest menwith the leftovers of graft and embezzlement in the fifties and sixties. After that appear the sturdier blocks, like Irena’s, from the seventies, when Gierek was in charge and all the shelves were full, and then the crumbling projects built resentfully between the strikes of the eighties. Finally, there are the single family houses with high gates constructed only in the past few years with American dollars as crisp as dry leaves. I travel this route twice a day, past an endless and dizzying number of side streets and cars, rolling back in time in the mornings and speeding toward the future in the afternoons.�
I love the idea of an old tree with rings, being like the city with its age shown in each ring and then someone traveling through these age rings every day.
p.171
“The winter had been the most miserable one in memory, and though they had survived, there was no more kerosene, shoes, meat, or laughter. By the spring of 1944, the subsistence of the villagers could no longer be called Life, or even Life As If, but at least it was not Death, and for that they were grateful.�
Living in the in-between, not Life but at least not Death�
p.297
“I go out to the courtyard, and I sit on the crumbling steps for a long time, just looking up at the sky, which in the city never turns completely black no matter how many drops of dye night adds.�
Love this! I’ve tried to make black using natural dyes and I can never quite get the dark black that I’m trying for, so this works 100% for me.
While I personally prefer the story and the setting in Brigid’s second novel a bit more than this one, she does a superb job here, with setting the place, including the history, using the local language, developing the characters and their relationships, mixing in some humor, moving the plot along, and so much more.
Love your novels, Brigid! When’s the next one?
p. 20
“The number 8 tram scrapes along Kroewska Street like a knife cutting along the radius of a tree stump, crossing the ring roads that divide the city, slowly revealing its age. At the very center is the main square-the Rynek-guarded by the centuries old kamienice that once held the Nazi officers � Next come the idealistic, postwar blocks of flats, built with honest sweat by honest men, followed immediately by the sprawling osiedla, pinned together by dishonest menwith the leftovers of graft and embezzlement in the fifties and sixties. After that appear the sturdier blocks, like Irena’s, from the seventies, when Gierek was in charge and all the shelves were full, and then the crumbling projects built resentfully between the strikes of the eighties. Finally, there are the single family houses with high gates constructed only in the past few years with American dollars as crisp as dry leaves. I travel this route twice a day, past an endless and dizzying number of side streets and cars, rolling back in time in the mornings and speeding toward the future in the afternoons.�
I love the idea of an old tree with rings, being like the city with its age shown in each ring and then someone traveling through these age rings every day.
p.171
“The winter had been the most miserable one in memory, and though they had survived, there was no more kerosene, shoes, meat, or laughter. By the spring of 1944, the subsistence of the villagers could no longer be called Life, or even Life As If, but at least it was not Death, and for that they were grateful.�
Living in the in-between, not Life but at least not Death�
p.297
“I go out to the courtyard, and I sit on the crumbling steps for a long time, just looking up at the sky, which in the city never turns completely black no matter how many drops of dye night adds.�
Love this! I’ve tried to make black using natural dyes and I can never quite get the dark black that I’m trying for, so this works 100% for me.
While I personally prefer the story and the setting in Brigid’s second novel a bit more than this one, she does a superb job here, with setting the place, including the history, using the local language, developing the characters and their relationships, mixing in some humor, moving the plot along, and so much more.
Love your novels, Brigid! When’s the next one?
August 21, 2020
I really enjoyed A Long, Long Time Ago! I thought the dual narratives were interesting and served the story well. Pasulka really immerses the reader in Polish culture, and it feels as though you're really in Krakow. The pacing was quite slow, but I loved being in the story so much, I didn't really mind.
July 2, 2012
I feel bad for this book. It's not that it's a terrible book, it just was completely not what I was in the mood for. I thought about just putting it down and picking it back up later, but then worried I would just never pick it back up again. I am just never in the mood for Let Me Tell You About How Much Life Sucked books.
I mean, World War II Poland: bad. Soviet Poland: bad. Post-Soviet Poland: a little better, but still bad.
There were two stories going on. The first is about Pigeon wooing local beauty Anielica in a tiny village in pre-WWII Poland. The wooing goes well, but life in general does not, as the Nazis and then the Soviets march in and destroy everything, as they tended to do. The second is about their granddaughter, trying to make her way in Krakow during the post-Soviet, "New Poland" era. Instead of the tragedy of history steamrolling her life, it's more just daily misery that she's forced to deal with: asshole Westerners thinking that they can treat all Polish women like whores, corruption, unemployment, crappy boyfriends, etc. etc. Her nickname is "Baba Yaga" (a famously ugly witch in Slavic folklore) which is (1) stupid and (2) rude. These are not random bullies calling her this, by the way, it's her friends. Why would she not shut this down? Maybe she has low self-esteem? On the other hand, she cannot actually be that unattractive, as she dated two very handsome men during the course of this book. I'd say that maybe her sparkling personality makes up for her looks, but she doesn't come across as terribly charismatic or interesting.
The ending for the granddaughter is happy-ish, as there is some prospect for the future, but after a long slog through misery and then an additional tragedy right there near the end to really twist the knife, I could not even muster enthusiasm. I do not enjoy books where no one is allowed to be happy for more than five seconds.
Also, Pasulka, if you insist on having your Polish-speaking characters' dialogue be mostly in English with the random Polish word thrown in to give it a Dora the Explorer feel, please at least have a glossary at the end for your non-Polish speaking audience.
I mean, World War II Poland: bad. Soviet Poland: bad. Post-Soviet Poland: a little better, but still bad.
There were two stories going on. The first is about Pigeon wooing local beauty Anielica in a tiny village in pre-WWII Poland. The wooing goes well, but life in general does not, as the Nazis and then the Soviets march in and destroy everything, as they tended to do. The second is about their granddaughter, trying to make her way in Krakow during the post-Soviet, "New Poland" era. Instead of the tragedy of history steamrolling her life, it's more just daily misery that she's forced to deal with: asshole Westerners thinking that they can treat all Polish women like whores, corruption, unemployment, crappy boyfriends, etc. etc. Her nickname is "Baba Yaga" (a famously ugly witch in Slavic folklore) which is (1) stupid and (2) rude. These are not random bullies calling her this, by the way, it's her friends. Why would she not shut this down? Maybe she has low self-esteem? On the other hand, she cannot actually be that unattractive, as she dated two very handsome men during the course of this book. I'd say that maybe her sparkling personality makes up for her looks, but she doesn't come across as terribly charismatic or interesting.
The ending for the granddaughter is happy-ish, as there is some prospect for the future, but after a long slog through misery and then an additional tragedy right there near the end to really twist the knife, I could not even muster enthusiasm. I do not enjoy books where no one is allowed to be happy for more than five seconds.
Also, Pasulka, if you insist on having your Polish-speaking characters' dialogue be mostly in English with the random Polish word thrown in to give it a Dora the Explorer feel, please at least have a glossary at the end for your non-Polish speaking audience.
June 30, 2012
Yes, the cover did make me pick up this book. A fairy tale kind of title, with little drawings of sheep and musicians and film and planes among vines and flowers...I had to see what this book was. And the blurb mentioned war, romance, all stuff I've read before, but the fairy tale-esque description inside "a place called Half Village...a girl fabled for her angelic looks...his "golden hands" made me think it wouldn't be the typical tragic war romance novel. But the book didn't read quite as fairy tale as I anticipated. The story of the Polish family during the war had fairy tale moments, but the story of Beata (or Baba Yaga as she is unfortunately called by almost everyone) seemed like a possible Ugly Duckling tale, but never really took on the fairy tale edge.. But even without that element, I became engrossed in both tales. Beata's story was somewhat contemporary (I don't think they pinpointed the year, but there are references to American companies/politcs etc to reference), but Polish modern life and American modern life do have discrepencies so I had a hard time keeping the time period aligned in my brain! I could keep track of the war/post war story more easily, but I did lose a little interest in the family's story when they make it to Krakow after the war, for some reason. And towards the end of the book, I started worrying that both stories were going to end up terribly depressing. I don't need a happy ending with all the ends tied up neatly, but I also didn't want to be devestated when I set the book down either. So that slowed me up a bit. But enough was redeemed at the ends of the book to connect the stories and to give Beata and her family some options. And it tied up enough of the stories, while still leaving me wondering about some details we never heard anymore about: Irene's story, Pani Bozena, the film interviews, the rest of Nela's story. But it wasn't that anything was left out totally, so I was still satisfied with the ending. It wasn't exactly what I expected when I picked up the book, but it still turned out to be one that I enjoyed.
January 31, 2010
Charming, funny, sad, witty, moving...all these describe this gorgeous first novel by Brigid Pasulka. Set in both World War II and present Poland (and the times in between), A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True is a ringing affirmation of the value of sacrifice of one generation for the next, whether for the building of a family or a nation.
The story is built in alternating chapters. One set tells the tale of a family in a remote Polish mountain village starting just before the German invasion, and in particular the love story between the beautiful Anielica and her heroic suitor, "The Pigeon." The other set of chapters brings us to present-day "New" Poland and the humdrum existence in Krakow of three women all descended from that mountain village family. As the novel progresses, the story of the war-time family races forward on a collision course with the contemporary story, and we more and more come to understand how much the present is rooted in the past. The challenge: will the present-day characters rise to the challenge of living lives worthy of the amazing sacrifices made for them by the generation before?
Pasulka often portrays village life with effective humor, but never at the expense of the characters' dignity and worth. The humor helps soften the reader to the characters, and in some way prepare for the suffering that is to come.
A personal note: A number of years ago, while teaching at an English-language summer camp in Hungary, I had the opportunity to visit Krakow for a few days. Though the visit was short, I fell forever in love with the Old City, particularly the Rynek square and Wawel Castle, both of which play prominent roles in this novel. The author did an excellent job of capturing the spirit of this marvelous city.
One note about the title. It appears from the acknowledgments at the end of the book that Pasulka based her story on interviews with very real stories of survivors of World War II and the subsequent years of Russian occupation. Thus, I think, the "Essentially True" part of the title.
The story is built in alternating chapters. One set tells the tale of a family in a remote Polish mountain village starting just before the German invasion, and in particular the love story between the beautiful Anielica and her heroic suitor, "The Pigeon." The other set of chapters brings us to present-day "New" Poland and the humdrum existence in Krakow of three women all descended from that mountain village family. As the novel progresses, the story of the war-time family races forward on a collision course with the contemporary story, and we more and more come to understand how much the present is rooted in the past. The challenge: will the present-day characters rise to the challenge of living lives worthy of the amazing sacrifices made for them by the generation before?
Pasulka often portrays village life with effective humor, but never at the expense of the characters' dignity and worth. The humor helps soften the reader to the characters, and in some way prepare for the suffering that is to come.
A personal note: A number of years ago, while teaching at an English-language summer camp in Hungary, I had the opportunity to visit Krakow for a few days. Though the visit was short, I fell forever in love with the Old City, particularly the Rynek square and Wawel Castle, both of which play prominent roles in this novel. The author did an excellent job of capturing the spirit of this marvelous city.
One note about the title. It appears from the acknowledgments at the end of the book that Pasulka based her story on interviews with very real stories of survivors of World War II and the subsequent years of Russian occupation. Thus, I think, the "Essentially True" part of the title.
March 18, 2014
This is just my kind of book.
"Baking for yourself is always better than baking for a husband."
That thing was that a woman's heart is not bought by the currency of a man's emotion for her. A woman's heart is won over by her own feelings for herself when he just happens to be around...
"But I thought you protested against the communists."
"Phooh. That was before I found our that capitalists are just communists without the polyester."
But the words coming from his mouth were too abundant to be reassuring. Reassuring words were tall, sparse, stoic.
My grandmother used to say that the most important things that are said are the ones that are barely audible...
ideas: the difference between knowing something and being able to talk about it; succinctness vs. too many words in a crisis
Normally I'm not crazy about the device of alternating voices/alternating chapters (is there a name for that?) because it disrupts the rhythm, jolts you out of what's going on. So I was disappointed to find this book uses that gimmick except the story lines here feather together nicely. They reveal details that clarify and enlighten points you might have thought irrelevant, but which end up deepening your understanding.
(I still wish this lovely story had been told maybe in two parts instead of weaving them together alternately like this. Maybe Baba Yaga's part first, then Anielica's? Or the other way around?)
But the characters' development is interesting in that you meet someone when she's old, then later on in the book, she's a child. Or you know how someone dies at the beginning, only to meet her again when she's vital and young, you know her outcome before you know her history.
New Poland. How many New Polands are there?
skipping over Nela's daughter, Beata's mother
"Baking for yourself is always better than baking for a husband."
That thing was that a woman's heart is not bought by the currency of a man's emotion for her. A woman's heart is won over by her own feelings for herself when he just happens to be around...
"But I thought you protested against the communists."
"Phooh. That was before I found our that capitalists are just communists without the polyester."
But the words coming from his mouth were too abundant to be reassuring. Reassuring words were tall, sparse, stoic.
My grandmother used to say that the most important things that are said are the ones that are barely audible...
ideas: the difference between knowing something and being able to talk about it; succinctness vs. too many words in a crisis
Normally I'm not crazy about the device of alternating voices/alternating chapters (is there a name for that?) because it disrupts the rhythm, jolts you out of what's going on. So I was disappointed to find this book uses that gimmick except the story lines here feather together nicely. They reveal details that clarify and enlighten points you might have thought irrelevant, but which end up deepening your understanding.
(I still wish this lovely story had been told maybe in two parts instead of weaving them together alternately like this. Maybe Baba Yaga's part first, then Anielica's? Or the other way around?)
But the characters' development is interesting in that you meet someone when she's old, then later on in the book, she's a child. Or you know how someone dies at the beginning, only to meet her again when she's vital and young, you know her outcome before you know her history.
New Poland. How many New Polands are there?
skipping over Nela's daughter, Beata's mother
Displaying 1 - 30 of 386 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.