In this week's edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk's, House of Day, House of Night, the story of a woman who moves with her husband from their Polish city to rural Silesia. In its review, PW says "It’s a marvel."
Here's how the book came together:
Olga Tokarczuk
“In 1993, we bought an old house in Poland right on the Czech border. It was secluded, with poor access, and in dire need of a complete renovation. My husband and I were both in our 30s and dreamed of living in the countryside after years spent in large, noisy cities. For the first 10 years of my life, I lived in the countryside and longed for provincial peace. This house is the hero of this book.”
Laurence Laluyaux
“When Olga won the Nobel Prize in Literature, we were already discussing which earlier titles to publish alongside the new novels, and this was an obvious choice. This really is a seminal work, so bringing it in-house with all the other titles was a priority, and this was the one that Olga herself wished to see back in print first.”
Antonia Lloyd-Jones
“Translating Olga’s work always takes me on a journey, which may be historical, or social, or personal, or psychological, and leaves me with a lot to think about. I’ve been lucky enough to stay in the very house where the book is set on numerous occasions. I know the village it’s in, I’ve met the prototypes for some of the characters.”
Rebecca Saletan
“While Olga completes her next new work in Polish, we’ve had a window of opportunity to publish a couple of her most important earlier works, starting with House of Day, House of Night, the book that first brought her to major attention in Europe but was only glancingly available in English until now.”
Lauren Peters-Collaer
“The central cover image is an incredible piece of art by Minna Leunig. I’d seen her work and felt it evoked a powerful sense of interconnection, curiosity, and attentiveness to place that resonated with the text. I love how absolutely wild this creature is. It’s recognizable as a bird, but it’s so singular, striking, and exudes an indomitable energy that felt like it perfectly captured the book.”
