The History of Poland (The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations)

It was both a privilege and a pleasure for me to read Biskupski's veritable novella on the History of Poland. It is immediately striking for what it is not: large. For better or worse the present day reader does not have the inclination to wade through the large "History of..." Some authors have attempted the shorter history only to find they have cut the heart out of the subject and left the reader with nothing more than an inarticulate smattering of the highlights and lowlights; ringing the dinnerbell for hungry folks only to serve cheese and crackers. Biskupski's History of Poland is not such an attempt. Instead, what the reader gets is a glimpse at Biskupski's innate ability to convey a complicated idea with only a few sentences: "A belief in historical inevitability is little more than lack of imagination masquerading as analytical sophistication. What happened will always be predetermined." - M.B. Biskupski, pg. 94 The majority of the work displays a rapier-like wit and a personal charm in the text that makes the experience more like a mental dialogue than a "boring" textbook experience. Interestingly, Chapter 8, "Communism in Poland" does not fit this description. Instead, Chapter 8 has a cathartic feel to it. I will not elaborate further for one should come to his own conclusions on Chapter 8 and mine, perhaps, are wrong-headed. What the reader has in Biskupski's History of Poland is a complex history thoughtfully written.

I am a student of Dr. Biskupski's at St. John Fisher College and I must say the man is a genius. He has forgotten more than I will ever know. This text is an excellent beginning to the troubled and complex history of Poland.

I traveled to Poland last fall. I was curious to read it to learn a little more. I found it to be a good introduction to some of the complexities of Polish history. For the novice, there get to be too many names to remember after a while (though a glossary is provided at the end of the book). All in all, a start to an interesting European country. Good for travelers to Poland to learn a little more and for students looking for some basics.