This is another book by a Polish writer Witold Jabłoński that I read in January 2014. This time I labelled it as a part of Polacy nie gęsi and The Full House challenge (as a “From the Local Library”).
Those who dislike the LGBT characters and sex between members of the same sex, shouldn’t read this book. All the others, I invite to read more.
Gorące uczynki – Witold Jabłoński
Title: Gorące uczynki (Red-handed)
Author: Witold Jabłoński
Language: Polish (no English translation)
Published: 1988 by Wydawnictwo Łódzkie
Pages: 106
ISBN: N/A
About the author
Witold Jabłoński was born in Łódź in 1957. A journalist, a Russian literature translator, a writer. In the past also a civil worker.
About the book
Social and private life of three lovers: one lady, and two men. An image of some artistic circles in Poland in the end of PRL (People’s Republic of Poland).
Quote
“Pozwolę sobie przytoczyć myśl boskiego markiza de Sade: wszystko co jest m o ż l i w e w naturze, nie może być nienaturalne. Nie jest tak, że natura posiada jakieś jedno prawo, które by mówiło jak Jehowa do wszystkich stworzeń: “Płódźcie i rozmnażajcie się”. Zresztą Adam nie mógł się zacząć rozmnażać natychmiast, bowiem na kobietę musiał zaczekać jeszcze dwa dni. Co robił przez ten czas, historia milczy.”
Translation:
“I’ll allow myself to quote the godly marquise de Sade: everything which is p o s s i b l e in nature, can’t be unnatural. It’s not that nature has only one law, which is speaking like Jehovah to all beings: “Procreate and reproduce”. Adam anyway couldn’t have started reproducing immediately, for he had to wait two more days for a woman. What he was doing all that time, the history keeps silent.”
My opinion
Reviewing this book is problematic for me. I’ve read it because it’s quite an important book in Polish LGBT literature, other books followed after it. I’m not too fond of books about love life (romance or no), nor I’m interested in artistic life – it’s just bit boring for me. This book isn’t bad, it’s just “foreign” (the way artist live) and not my style. I think I didn’t have anything to relate to.
Tho I liked the humour, the magical realism and some of the observations (like in the quote above). A plus for visibly bisexual characters, often overlooked in “gay” literature.
My opinion: 6.5/10.
For Culture's Sake 