Two Distinguished Poles Awarded

      The Library of Congress has awarded the first John W. Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Human Sciences to Leszek Kołakowski, a Polish philosopher, historian, and essayist. Professor Kołakowski, resident of Oxford, England, has been widely known for his works in the history of philosophy and the philosophy of religion. He is believed to have played a crucial role in raising questions about the validity of Marxist ideology, and in providing a great insight into major political events of our times. He has written over 30 books and 400 other writings, mainly in Polish, but also in English, French, and German.

      Polish poet Adam Zagajewski has been awarded the 2004 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, administered by the University of Oklahoma and its international quarterly, World Literature Today. Czesław Miłosz, another Polish writer, laureate of the Noble Prize in Literature, is among the recipients of this prestigious prize. Zagajewski is considered a leading poet of his generation and has already been recognized for his sensitivity and observant penetration into modern life. He has published widely in Polish, English, French, German, Italian, and other languages. He had lived in exile in Paris but recently has moved back to Cracow. He also teaches spring courses in literature at the University of Houston.

(buz)

For a sample of Mr. Zagajewski’s poetry (in Polish) please click here

(03-12-15)