Adam Zagajewski Libros

«En pocas ocasiones?afirmó Joseph Brodsky? ha hablado la musa de la poesía con tanta claridad como a través de Adam Zagajewski ». Su singular lucidez, su soberbia economía de estilo, así como el mordaz sentido del humor, el sutil escepticismo y la profunda conciencia de la necesidad de observar el pasado y el presente para evitar las amenazas que entrana el futuro, le han merecido reconocimiento internacional y consagrado como un clásico contemporáneo. En esta nueva colección de poemas, la asimetría que caracteriza la experiencia humana?entre la felicidad y el dolor, la verdad y la mentira, la vida y la muerte, el amor y su ausencia?no impedirá al poeta hallar extraordinarios destellos de verdad y belleza en lo cotidiano, ni transformarlos, una vez más, en poesía.

Adam Zagajewski es un poeta de la claridad. En sus versos asoman inviernos infinitos, sabor de hojas, arboledas y sonidos, casas como un bolsillo en un abrigo, violonchelos, aeropuertos, los vivos y los muertos, un anhelo, la memoria y, a veces, el tiemo circular. Zagajewski es asimismo un poeta visual, de palabras que son celebración del mundo y sus imágenes. Es el canto de un instante que se expande, que involucra, y en el que converge la realidad toda, epifánica y plural, siempre presente. Poeta exiliado, la suya no es, sin embargo, una poesía del exilio. Se le considera una de las figuras más relevantes y con más repercusión internacional de la nueva generación de poetas polacos y, con el libro que hoy presentamos, Acantilado empieza la publicación de su obra poética.

En 1945, cuando Adam Zagajewski contaba cuatro meses de edad, su ciudad natal (Lvov) fue incorporada a la URSS y su familia obligada a mudarse a una antigua población alemana (Gliwice) que Polonia acababa de anexionarse. En una Europa marcada por el totalitarismo, la contradicción y el desarraigo, aquellas gentes desplazadas contra su voluntad se convirtieron en «inmigrantes que, no obstante, nunca habían abandonado su país». De aquella experiencia nace esta reflexión lúcida, veraz y valiente, que trata de aúnar los dos polos que estas dos ciudades representan: el de un espacio mítico, aunque sorprendentemente doméstico, cálido y acogedor, y el de una realidad hostil y poco generosa, quién sabe si representación simbólica de la tensión poética. Este ensayo ha despertado el entusiasmo unánime de la crítica. Susan Sontag lo celebró con estas palabras: «Leer Dos ciudades supone disfrutar de un recorrido por una mente maravillosa», y John Ashbery lo definió sencillamente como «un libro extraordinario».

A new essay collection by the noted Polish poet For Adam Zagajewski—one of Poland’s great poets—the project of writing, whether it be poetry or prose, is an occasion to advance what David Wojahn has characterized as his “restless and quizzical quest for self-knowledge.” Slight Exaggeration is an autobiographical portrait of the poet, arranged not chronologically but with that same luminous quality that distinguishes Zagajewski’s spellbinding poetry—an affinity for the invisible. In a mosaic-like blend of criticism, reflections, European history, and aphoristic musings, Zagajewski tells the stories of his life in glimpses and reveries—from the Second World War and the occupation of Poland that left his family dispossessed to Joseph Brodsky’s funeral on the Venetian island of San Michele—interspersed with intellectual interrogations of the writers and poets (D. H. Lawrence, Giorgos Seferis, Zbigniew Herbert, Paul Valéry), composers and painters (Brahms, Rembrandt), and modern heroes (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke) who have influenced his work. A wry and philosophical defense of mystery, Slight Exaggeration recalls Zagajewski’s poetry in its delicate negotiation between the earthbound and the ethereal, “between brief explosions of meaning and patient wandering through the plains of ordinary days.” With an enduring inclination to marvel, Zagajewski restores the world to us—necessarily incomplete and utterly astonishing.

This compelling new work showcases the talent of a contemporary literary master, offering readers an impactful exploration of themes that resonate deeply in today's world. With a unique narrative style and rich character development, the author delves into complex emotions and societal issues, inviting reflection and discussion. The book promises to captivate both new readers and long-time fans, solidifying its place in the modern literary landscape.

Set against the backdrop of 1960s and 1970s communist Poland, the memoir explores Adam Zagajewski's journey as an emerging writer and philosophy student in Krakow. It delves into his experiences as a vocal dissident, capturing the complexities of life under a repressive regime while highlighting the vibrant cultural and intellectual atmosphere of the time. Through personal anecdotes, Zagajewski reflects on his formative years and the impact of political turmoil on his identity and creativity.

Vivid, attentive to the world, the poems in these lucid translations share the vocation that allows us, in Zagajewski's words, 'to experience astonishment and to stop still in that astonishment for a long moment or two'.'Seldom has the muse .

Focusing on the spiritual dimension of modern life, Adam Zagajewski's collection of essays seeks to revive concepts like ardor, inspiration, and the sublime, which have been overlooked by contemporary critics and artists. Through his reflections, he argues for the importance of these themes in understanding the essence of art and human experience, inviting readers to reconsider the deeper meanings behind artistic expression.

The highway became the Red Sea. We moved through the storm like a sheer valley. You drove; I looked at you with love. —from "Storm" One of the most gifted and readable poets of his time, Adam Zagajewski is proving to be a contemporary classic. Few writers in either poetry or prose can be said to have attained the lucid intelligence and limpid economy of style that have become a matter of course with Zagajewski. It is these qualities, combined with his wry humor, gentle skepticism, and perpetual sense of history's dark possibilities, that have earned him a devoted international following. This collection, gracefully translated by Clare Cavanagh, finds the poet reflecting on place, language, and history. Especially moving here are his tributes to writers, friends known in person or in books—people such as Milosz and Sebald, Brodsky and Blake—which intermingle naturally with portraits of family members and loved ones. Eternal Enemies is a luminous meeting of art and everyday life.

"A stunning, intimate collection by Adam Zagajewski (1945-2021), "the most pertinent, impressive, meaningful poet of our time" (Mary Oliver)"--