Push Not the River

I could not put this book down! While at times it read a little like a soap opera, the fact that it was based on a real Countess' diary kept it real and lent the story credibility. Anna's passion for love, life and her country was inspirational and touching. I also liked the fact that while I was being entertained by an intriguing story, I was being given a wonderful history lesson as well (being from a Polish background, I am embarrassed to say all of this was new information for me). It is a novel filled with intrigue, suspense, mystery, revenge, passion, love, faith, glitter, jealousy, greed, war, death, solidarity....the list goes on and on. Best of all, I hear that the author is in the process of writing a sequel as I speak. Can't wait!

This historical novel by James Conroyd Martin is based on the true story of Countess Anna Maria Berezowska, a young woman who lived through the tumultuous events in Poland during the years 1791-1794. The author discovered the diary that had been kept in sealed wax for almost two centuries by the Countess' family, and has been researching the historical period it covers for the past 25 years.I was immediately drawn into the story of the young Anna Maria and the dramatic events that shaped her life. Orphaned at 17, she's sent to live with her aunt, uncle and cousin Zofia who is her own age. These two young women are very different and there is conflict between them throughout the book. However, the author's skill in developing Zofia's character kept the story from falling into the trap of stereotyping and these two characters emerge as complex individuals.The story is rich with romance, intrigue, passion and love. And it's all set against a backdrop of Polish history. There's a bridge in New York City named after the patriot Tadeusz Kosciuszko, but until now I had no idea who he was. Neither did I think about how the events of the French revolution directly affected the rest of Europe and Poland in particular. I learned about these things in this book as I followed Anna Maria's story, my eyes racing over the pages and holding my breath through her many ordeals. It's a fast and easy read, and, in spite of being 608 pages long I yearned for more when it ended. Hopefully the author will sit fit to write a sequel.

Every country has a history, but few countries suffered the repeated tragedies of Poland. Immersed in a feudal system that oppressed Poland's poor, the nobility became fatally divided. Within this country's class struggle, James Conroyd Martin puts a personal face on the events of the time by introducing the reader to the Berezowski family. In particular, two cousins, Anna and Zophia, battle each other and the country's system of nobility to an end which is both bitter and hopeful. Mr. Martin gleaned his story from the reading and translating of a true-life diary that is almost 200 years old. Written by a woman who lived through many of the trials of Poland during its multiple partitions, PUSH NOT THE RIVER fictionalizes her family's experiences around the tru historical occupations and partitions of the land. Along with the fictional characters, the reader is introduced to some of Poland's greatest heroes and most breath-taking landscapes. The River Vistula seems to work as a beautiful metaphor in illustrating all that divided the sides during that period of time in Poland. Open the first page of this book, and begin to know the Berezowska cousins and their country. It is well worh the effort.

I went into this book a little blindly, not knowing quite what it was going to be about. What I found was a thoroughly impressive tail of romance, mystery, suspense and the incredible history of war-torn Poland during the 18th century. It is remarkable! When I finished, I found myself actually missing the characters, as I often do when I complete a book that has drawn me in so completely. All I can think of to say to the author is "thank you." I feel my life is just a little fuller, with the knowledge that Countess Anna existed, and what she and her people went through. I had no prior knowledge of Polish history, but now feel considerably better educated. Martin shows an impressive mastery of the written word, and an uncanny understanding of the female perspective. This book is a rare gem!

I've just finished reading "Push Not the River" by James Conroyd Martin. I couldn't put it down. Mr. Martin's characters were fully fleshed out members of their era, but they spoke with a universality that rings true today, 200 years later. Mr. Martin has a command of the English language that is rarely seen in contemporary novel writing. He has meticulously built his novel and researched his subject matter so well that he made me feel I was a Polish patriot fighting for my life and the very existence of my country against the ruthless invading armies of Poland's neighboring empires. "Push Not the River" is an engaging and exciting book. I was a child of the 60's, a decade when ubiquitous Polish jokes were taken for granted as humorous, harmless and accurate depictions of Poles, their abilities and their place in history. Mr. Martin educates us by obliterating those stereotypes and misconceptions. After reading "Push Not the River" and learning of the nobility of these progressive, proud and oppressed people I'm ashamed for every Polish joke I ever told or laughed at.