 | Bibliography:
- Fractale. Sklepy prześcieradłowe (Fractals: White Goods Shops). Poznań: Obserwator, 1994.
- Księga pasztetów (The Book of Patés). Poznan: Obserwator, 1997.
- Pożegnania plazmy (A Farewell to Plasma). Gładyszow: Czarne, 1999.
- 47 na odlew (47 and a Smack in the Face), Warszawa: Prószyński, 2002.
Translations:
English:
- Farewell to Plasma. Transl: W. Martin. Prague-New-York: Twisted Spoon Press, 2000.
German:
- Sibirische Palme. Erzählungen. Hamburg: Rospo, 1997.
- Abschied vom Plasma. Hamburg: Rospo, 2000.
- Rasante Erstarrung, Innsbruck: Skarabaeus, 2003.
Serbian:
- Sve paštete sveta [Księga pasztetów], Beograd: Plato, 2002.
Slovak:
- Povedz mi čo si myslíš o Indii a ja ti poviem kto si, Bratislava: Drewo a Srd, 2002.
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Goerke NataszaBorn in Poznań in 1962, Natasza Goerke writes fiction and poetry. She studied Polish at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and oriental studies at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. In the mid-1980s she emigrated to Germany, where she studied Tibetan languages and Eastern religions in depth. In 2003 she was nominated for the NIKE prize. She lives in Hamburg. The terms “grotesque” and “surreal” are often used to describe Goerke’s work, both in some ways aptly, though above all it is philosophical prose, with its roots in the Enlightenment tradition of the story, dressed up in modern costume. Goerke’s works – usually concise and very concentrated – present an artificial, caricature of reality, which, owing to one or another of its excesses and shortcomings, is unable to function as it should, and “goes off”, making life impossible for the heroes (who are treated with a mixture of sarcasm and concern) as well as preventing the action from developing. In this way the crisis of the novel gains its metaphysical justification. Otherwise – thanks to her gradual absorption of Buddhist philosophy – Goerke’s world has slowly taken on coherence, resulting in her recently published novella, “47 With Full Force”, her most broad-scale work. In it she does not abandon her caustic, disapproving view of European civilisation – the hero is a man to whom a monument is erected for having achieved and deserved nothing in life (only this sort of monument can possibly remain in today’s contradictory world). This prose is written in colloquial language, which is used to help express some imperceptibly vital truths. It takes some generally accepted notions to absurdity, and brings some “myths” (such as the aura surrounding leading Polish mountaineer Wanda Rutkiewicz) down to earth. It employs a refined sense of humour, as well as stylisation and parody (e.g. quotes from Miłosz and Blake acting perfectly as examples of the scribblings of the worshippers of a hallucinogenic beetroot). In its often fairytale character it is quite like the short fiction of Robert Walser.
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There are more than 28,000 publishers registered in Poland. However, the market is highly concentrated. The 200 largest publishing firms still hold almost 98 per cent of it. More »
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