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Second Life of a Book inspires Tarnów!

The culture of exchanging books grows more and more popular. Inspired by the success of our “Second Life of a Book” campaign, last week, the students of the Elementary School no. 8 in Tarnów independently organised their own campaign titled “Give book a second life”. 22 children exchanged 28 books on various interesting topics.

We applaud this and similar initiatives popping up in the region, since books can change the world and people, but only when they are not left idle on the shelves!

Our new schedule of exchanges for 2017 will be announced soon! This year we are planning even more opportunities to rearrange our shelves in even more interesting and unobvious locations.

You can find out more at www.drugiezycieksiazki.pl

 

Był sobie król… Poczet Piastów, is the first part of a popular science book series on the history of our beautiful country. A series, which returns after being absent for many years, and returns with a new look to once again rule our shelves and home libraries to educate the youngest generations about our wonderful heritage – as an alternative to the boring school books.

These books are intended for entire families, to be kept for life, as they teach and entertain people of all ages, presenting fascinating and interesting stories about our predecessors, starting from the times of legends, and ending with our last kings. Our history, presented in an easily digestible way with genius illustrations, enriched with hundreds of interesting facts turns out to be just as interesting as the best HBO TV series. The first book, Poczet Piastów tells the story of the first Polish rulers. Some of their adventures, antics and affairs are incredible and read like fiction… Yet, they are all real.

The series was created by Mariusz Wollny, an author known for his series of crime book novels about private investigator Kacper Ryx, who lives in the 16th century Krakow and solves authentic criminal cases that grip the capital of the country and often even the entire Republic. The design of the new edition of the series (previous editions were published by Bellona in 1996 and 2004) was created by the daughter of the author, Zuza Wollny, who is as talented as her father. Her illustrations – beautiful, funny and sometimes even mysterious – illustrate the affairs and adventures of Polish dukes and kings. The series will comprise three additional books: Poczet Jagiellonów and Poczet Królów Elekcyjnych, which was not published to date, all published by “JAMA” publishing house, established by M. Wollny for the purposes of self-publishing.

The first book was published in the beginning of December, thanks to the contributions of the readers gathered via WSPIERAM.TO crowdfunding portal. It can be also bought (with a dedication from the author, if you so decide) from the Skład Towarów Rarytnych “U Kacpra Ryksa” at Plac Mariacki 3 in Krakow, as well as from the publisher’s website: www.sklep.kacperryx.pl

Book One of the first part in the series is available on-line for free. Just click here!

 

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The book was published in collaboration with Krakow – UNESCO City of Literature and the Krakow Festival Office.

We would like to present the summary of the hunt for the QR codes. Another edition of the Read PL campaign is now a history.

52000 free e-books and audiobooks were loaned as part of Read PL – the largest readership promotion campaign in Poland. The virtual books found their way even to the remote parts of the globe, including the Antipodes. The Read PL campaign is not slowing down – soon we are going to launch the CzytajPL.pl literary portal. Readers, unite!

Thanks to the Read PL campaign, the free e-books and audiobooks were loaned 52000 times. The campaign enjoyed great popularity, and information spread via traditional and social media reached millions of Poles. Ten days after the launch of the campaign the organisers of Read PL prepared 12 codes for downloading literary best-sellers as a response to multiple requests, and encouraged everyone to share them with other internet users. As a result, the codes have found their way to schools, office buildings, car parks, walls in clothing stores, windows in a confectionery, the gate to the Białowieża Forest, a car shop and… a lift in a skyscraper (“it’s old and often malfunctions, so there’s a lot of time for reading”), and the campaign spread from the initial 16 cities to over 130. The free e-books and audiobooks were also downloaded abroad in countries such as Australia, Austria, Estonia and France. Over 3000 participants also took the opportunity to invite their friends, thanks to which they did not have to scan the QR codes to take advantage of the campaign.

CzytajPL 2016 

“We proved that new technologies enable us to promote literature and reach new readers”, said Izabela Helbin, director of the Krakow Festival Office. “The Read PL campaign also involved dozens of employers, who pointed out in their recruitment ads that “reading might be beneficial”. We are very happy that after the official launch of the “Reader-Friendly Employer” campaign, various new brands and organisations joined with their own ideas for promoting readership among their employees”, she added.

The CzytajPL.pl portal will also be launched this year, with the aim to inspire readers and inform about initiatives taken up by people who promote readership in Poland. Every day, hundreds of literary news, reviews and editorials are published on the Internet. Their authors promote readership on a high level, but the valuable articles, podcasts and vlogs are often drowned out by the information noise. The creators of the portal want to put them in spotlight and allow the readers to find and reach them. “We are certain that this will enable us to constantly improve the readership levels. We want the Read PL campaign to run all year round. Promoting a modern, literary lifestyle is our number one priority”, said Woblink.com’s Paweł Polański. The Read PL portal will be available at www.czytajpl.pl via the Woblink app for Android and iOS.

CzytajPL 2016

“Read PL” is the most extensive campaign promoting readership in the world. As part of the campaign, 600 advertising media appeared in 16 Polish cities. Each had a QR code printed on them, allowing the passers-by to download 12 free e-books and audiobooks selected in such a way as to satisfy the needs and expectations of every reader, including some of the best books in their respective genres, such as Stephen King’s The Shining, The Eighth Life by Georgian writer Nino Haratischwili and Other Songs by Jacek Dukaj. The network of virtual libraries grew every day. For the first time the lovers of books were able to share e-books and audiobooks with their friends and colleagues – using the application they could send the code to five friends or print them out as a poster and hang it anywhere they wanted. For the second time the participants showed their love for books.

 

The campaign was organised by: Krakow Festival Office (operator of the UNESCO Krakow City of Literature programme Woblink.com platform.

Among the publishers who took part in the campaign were: Audioteka, Filia, Galeria Książki, Karakter, Media Rodzina, Prószyński i S-ka, Sound Tropez, Wydawnictwo Literackie, Klub Świata Komiksu, Wydawnictwo Otwarte, Znak, Czarna Owca.

Partner cities: Częstochowa, Gdańsk, Katowice, Poznań, Toruń, Wrocław.

Other cities taking part in the campaign: Warsaw, Łódź, Bielsko-Biała, Bydgoszcz, Białystok, Lublin, Rzeszów, Sosnowiec, Szczecin.

Reader-Friendly Employers: Agora, Ansta, Answear.com, CBRE, El Padre, Freshmail, Hand Made, Idea Bank, Interia.pl, IT Integro, JWA, Medicine, MJCC, My Works, Perfecta, Picodi, Pro Civitas, Public PR, Salesmanago, Shoplo, Twojemeble.pl, Walraven and Wawel.

Partner: Book Institute.

Media patronage: Lubimy Czytać, Kawerna, Niestatystyczny.pl.

 

czytajpl_infografika

 

The project was financed from the funds of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the Heritage as part of the National Readership Development Programme.

 

 

You will find them in book stores. Pilch w sensie ścisłym, the controversial first biography of the author created with and in spite of the writer, as well as Rozdarta zasłona, where Maria Szymiczkowa returns with a double dose of secrets hidden in Krakow’s townhouses, sprinkled with a greater dose of humour. This autumn, Krakow – UNESCO City of Literature – will be the patron of the two unique premieres. 

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„Pilch w sensie ścisłym” Katarzyna Kubisiowska
Znak Publishing House

It might have seemed that Jerzy Pilch said everything about himself in his books. It is, however, not true. It is also not true that his trembling hands were the result of alcoholism or, as other might prefer – a punishment for his sins. The best-selling writer successfully hidden many secrets beneath the shroud of literary fiction. Sometimes cunning and charming, sometimes cold and inaccessible. This controversial first biography of the author was created with Pilch and against him, stripping him off his fiction and showing the truth and only truth. Jerzy Pilch“How much time did they give you? “Two years.” “Yeah… So they are counting on my death before they publish it.”

Katarzyna Kubisiowska is a journalist working for Tygodnik Powszechny and author of many interviews with Jerzy Pilch. In reality the work on the biography of the writer started 20 years ago – even though the author wrote it in just three years – when the two artists met for the first time and started talking with each other – on private ground at first.

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„Rozdarta zasłona” Maryla Szymiczakowa (Jacek Dehnel, Piotr Tarczyński)
Znak Literanova Publishing House

A giant crowd at the Różnowski family villa – a body of a young girl was found on the Vistula bank. Another tragedy took place at the Szczupaczyński family house: Karolcia – a recently trained servant – suddenly resigned. Easter is coming and Zofia Szczupaczyńska needs to take care of the entire house with just one servant! She also knows that she has a duty as a citizen to help solve the mystery of the murder, even if that means she will have to break most – if not all – of the rules of a lady of the house. Will she manage to unveil the dark secrets of Krakow in 1895?

After the best-selling Tajemnica Domu Helclów, Maryla Szymiczkowa returns with yet another investigation, even more secrets hidden in Krakow’s townhouses, a giant dose of passion and even more humour. Maryla Szymiczkowa – a widow of a Przekrój subscriber, queen of pischinger, former star of Piwnica Pod Baranami and proofreader at Tygodnik Powszechny. After the success of Tajemnica Domu Helclów, she decided to devote her career to mystery novels.

Maryla Szymiczkowa was brought to life by Jacek Dehnel (b. 1980) – writer, poet and translator, author of a blog devoted to an inter-war mystery tabloid Tajny Detektyw and Piotr Tarczyński (b. 1983) – translator, historian and expert on American culture from Kraków, who has been living in Warsaw for past ten years.

Looking outside, we can see the Town Hall and a beam of light shining into the darkness. From the window of Czeczotka Palace, you can see the Market Square and the Cloth Hall. If you look at the window at the right angle, you will also see your own reflection in the window pane…

People gather at Czeczotka Palace. “I’ve been here since early morning”, said someone, who was supposed to leave two hours ago and yet stayed for a while to listen. “I just couldn’t resist”, said someone else, who was going to come only on Monday, but stayed until Sunday. Almost 15 000 participants took part in the week-long celebration of literature in Krakow.

“We think about literature the same as writers and readers” – this democratic formula comprises the concept of the Conrad Festival, which for years has been building a deep bond with its audience, to whom it has also started leaving significant decisions. During the Festival, the audience not only participates actively in meetings, but also gives out awards, with the most important being the Conrad Award for the best debut. Its aim is to bring attention to the writers, who have only just started to gather their audience. During the meeting titled “Literature, or the 18th camel”, a kind of a symbolic opening of the Festival, Grzegorz Jankowicz told us that it is all about inviting the writers back to reality, so that they can start working on it in some way. Working with senses, language and emotions, not free from tensions, but leading to mapping the world anew.

The idea of intensity was reflected in the involvement of the writers and readers. This year’s Conrad Award laureate, Żanna Słoniowska reminded us that literature is stepping out of one’s comfort zone. It requires crossing the borders of one’s own world view, leaning towards someone else’s emotions and experiences, noticing other discourses. Samar Yazbek reminded us of the meaning of literature for social life by noting that only knowledge of other cultures can conquer hatred. The participants of the Festival had the opportunity to learn more about the Congo, Syria and Israel. The invited Israeli authors brought our attention to the fact that literature is the best alternative in a divided and simplified world, since it stands in opposition to the political discourse, which trivialises and vulgarises reality. It allows the language to renew, which is necessary, lest it become a shell, restraining reality. The same sentiment was also brought up by Ukrainian writers and the authors of a new translation of Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita. Ida Linde shared her faith in literature with the audience: “I am deeply convinced that literature will survive the period where everything seems to be black and white. It will allow us to be different and preserve the shades of grey”.

infografika_cf-2016

This year’s Conrad Festival forced us to find our own answers to the question: “What is literature?” However, it did not step back from all circumstances and contexts, in which literature is created and crafted. Also the material aspect of literature was discussed in the “Book Industries” section, presenting literary production from behind the scenes, showing the work of editors, publishers, book sellers and literary critics. The Festival also consistently emphasises the role of translators and their merits in the cultural development. This year they were also distinguished with a special award for the translators involved in the Festival itself. An additional prize was also given out to the moderators, who hosted the meetings. The Festival, organised at the Czeczotka House for the first time, became a space conducive to exchanging ideas and friendly meetings. We could take part in film screenings, exhibitions, workshops and accompanying events for children.

And what did the writers say about their audience?

Eleanor Catton admitted that she wants to understand the needs of her readers, what interests them and what they are looking for in her books. Richard Flanagan declared that the reader is more intelligent than him, because it is the reader who invents the novel and can guide the soul of the entire story. Michael Cunningham confessed that he writes his books for a few people, maybe four or five friends. “If someone else wants to read them, it’s fine, but I do not think that I can take over the crowd”, said the writer, making the audience laugh.

The project was financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
The Festival is supported by EDF Poland – the patron of the KBF, Volvo Wadowscy, PZU SA and the John Paul II International Airport Krakow Balice Ltd.

 

Read more at: www.conradfestival.com

“Read PL” – the largest campaign promoting readership starts today (2nd of November), with a scope that exceeds the pilot programme seen last year. Thanks to the free e-book and audiobook libraries on 600 advertising media in 16 cities, as well as a strong entry into the virtual world, the Read PL campaign will reach millions of Poles. The readers will be able to enjoy 12 books, written by world-class authors such as Stephen King, David Lagercrantz, Jacek Dukaj and others.

Starting today (2nd of November), free e-book and audiobook libraries appeared on the streets – more precisely, citylights on bus stops, used for advertising purposes, as well as posters. Every such library contains a code, allowing the passers-by to rent books free of charge. The codes are accompanied by slogans, enticing people to use them, including: “What would you do to get free access to 12 best-selling books?” or “This QR code does not disappoint!” However, that is not all! The participants will be able to share codes with their friends using an application, and thus getting involved in active promotion of reading. “The last year’s pilot campaign in six cities showed us that we managed to find a way to convince people to read – using unique form, large-scale campaign, featuring good and popular books. This time Read PL will not only span the entire country, but as a campaign, it is going to have an unprecedented scale”, said Izabela Helbin, director of the Krakow Festival Office, organiser of the campaign.

The Read PL campaign is innovative not only due to its scope, range and creative use of city space, but also thanks to the selection of books, which includes best-selling and legendary novels. The Read PL collection comprises titles which are considered to be the classics of their respective genres, such as Other Songs by Jacek Dukaj or The Shining by Stephen King, as well as new discoveries, such as Trawers by Remigiusz Mróz, considered to be the hottest name in Polish mystery scene, The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz, who took up the Millennium series after Stieg Larsson, or The Red Captain by Dominik Dan, which became a basis for the film starring Maciej Stuhr. The virtual library also offers the biography of Elon Musk, the greatest visionary of the 21st century, as well as books for the lovers of scientific trivia – W rzeczy samej by Marek Miodownik, as well as for the fans of the Polish language. and Paulina Mikuła. The library’s offer is complemented by Thief’s Magic by Trudi Canavan, first part of the Millennium’s Rule series, as well as Kajko i Kokosz. Szkoła latania, a famous story for youth about a magical chair created by Andrzej Maleszka and The Eighth Life by Georgian writer Nino Haratischwili. “Eight of the titles will be available in two versions – as e-books and audiobooks, including two super-productions, recorded with the leading Polish actors. For the first time, we are also offering a comic book”, said Paweł Polański of Woblink.com, co-organiser of the campaign.

The application, which enables the participants to download the books was completely redesigned. Many new functions are available to our users. Currently, all books can be borrowed using a single code, we also added the possibility to invite up to five friends to the campaign, thus giving them access to the entire collection. In order to take advantage of the offer, you have to download Woblink application from App Store or Google Play and go to the “Read PL” tab. From there, you can scan the QR codes, which grant you free access to the books. The “Read PL” campaign will run until November 30th. You can find the map of free e-book libraries at www.czytajPL.pl.

 

The campaign was organised by: Krakow Festival Office (operator of the UNESCO Krakow City of Literature programme and Woblink.com platform.

Among the publishers who took part in the campaign were: Audioteka, Filia, Galeria Książki, Karakter, Media Rodzina, Prószyński i S-ka, Sound Tropez, Wydawnictwo Literackie, Klub Świata Komiksu, Wydawnictwo Otwarte, Znak, Czarna Owca.

Partner cities: Częstochowa, Gdańsk, Katowice, Poznań, Toruń, Wrocław.

Other cities taking part in the campaign: Warsaw, Łódź, Bielsko-Biała, Bydgoszcz, Białystok, Lublin, Rzeszów, Sosnowiec, Szczecin.

Partner: Book Institute.

Media patronage: Lubimy Czytać, Kawerna, Niestatystyczny.pl.

 

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The project was financed from the funds of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the Heritage as part of the National Readership Development Programme.

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Żanna Słoniowska, the author of a debut novel “House With Stained Glass” (published by Znak Literanova), was announced the winner of the Conrad Award for the best literary début of 2015. The winning book was chosen by internet users, who voted for the five nominee débuts until midnight on October 29. The official presentation of statuettes was held on 30 October at the award gala in the Congress Centre ICE Krakow. In addition to the statuette, the winner received a cash prize of 30,000 złoty, a monthly residential stay in Krakow and a promotion campaign of the book during next year’s Conrad Festival and on the pages of “Tygodnik Powszechny” magazine. The Sunday’s gala ended the 8. Conrad Festival.

fot. Wojciech Wandzel, www.wandzelphoto.com

fot. Wojciech Wandzel, www.wandzelphoto.com

“On my way to the Conrad awards ceremony, at the Congress Centre ICE Krakow, I met the winner of last year’s edition, Liliana Hermetz. She told me how important the award was for her and how much it had changed her life,” said Andrzej Kulig, deputy mayor of Krakow for social policy, culture and city promotion. “This proves that the activities initiated in Krakow, the UNESCO City of Literature, result with actual growth of media and literary critics’ interest, and thus the general public, in the débutants,” adds Kulig.

Born in 1978, Słoniowska is a journalist, translator and writer, and a Ukrainian with Polish roots. She has been living in Krakow for years. Słoniowska is an expert in history of Lviv and the author of the album “The most beautiful photographs of pre-war Lviv” (2013). Żanna Słoniowska is the laureate of the 2014 competition for best novel, organized by the publishing house “Znak”. Her “House With Stained Glass” was awarded with publication. The writer was also nominated for the Literary Prize “Nike” in 2016.

fot. Hasenien Dousery | www.blackshadowstudio.com

fot. Hasenien Dousery | www.blackshadowstudio.com

“Everyone is after security, but personally, writing this book was against the human basic need. For five years, it was a matter of faith. I was writing the text for which no one was waiting, I was writing in my native tongue, I gave up my work. But the worlds, which I have discovered in turn surpassed my wildest expectations,” said Żanna Słoniowska on receiving the prize.

“The House With Stained Glass” is a story about the relationship between a young woman and mature man, about finding and defining one’s own identity, against a backdrop of bulging balconies and scaly façades of Lviv’s tenements. It is a four-generation family saga, in which the stories of the Polish and Ukrainian history intertwine at the level of personal choices, the fates of each of the characters. “I’m Lvovian” declares Nicholas, the only male figure in the clan of women, each of whom experienced life in a different era.

The five nominees will receive promotional support both during next year’s Conrad Festival, as well as in “Tygodnik Powszechny”.

The patron of the award is Joseph Conrad, one of the greatest modern writers, who began his international literary career after leaving Krakow. The founder and organizer of the awards is the City of Krakow, and the partners are: Instytut Książki, the Foundation of Tygodnik Powszechny and the Krakow Festival Office. The award is to support not only aspiring writers, but also publishers, encouraging them to take the publishing risk. At the same time, establishing the Conrad Award allows Krakow to realize key objectives included in the strategy for the UNESCO City of Literature.

The founder of the award is the City of Krakow, and the partners are: Instytut Książki, Krakow Festival Office and the Foundation of Tygodnik Powszechny.

For the first time in the festival’s history, two awards were granted, to acknowledge people working in the publishing industry. The accolades went to: the best moderator of a festival meeting, Piotr Sommer and the best interpreter, Anna Butrym. The award was founded by the Honorary Consul of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Tomasz Kopoczyński. The patron of the award for the best interpreter is the Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in Poland, His Excellency Conrad Bruch. The winners were chosen by the festival audience, who could express their appreciation to the moderator and interpreter, the people involved in creating the Festival’s atmosphere in a special way by voting in the festival centre after each meeting.

The project was financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage

The Festival is supported by EDF Poland – the patron of the KBF, Volvo Wadowscy, PZU SA and the John Paul II International Airport Krakow Balice Ltd.

More at: www.conradfestival.com

On Saturday, the 22nd of October at noon, the popular letters were once again installed at the Main Square in Krakow. Among the letters, refreshed by Agnieszka Piksa – graphic artist, author of comic books and illustrator from Krakow – the audience could see the authentic Wawel Dragon, who handed balloons to children, while at Powiśle 11 complex, during the special edition of the Krakow Book Market, the antiquarians from Krakow and Katowice presented their book treasures to the residents of the city.

 This is how Krakow celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the prestigious UNESCO City of Literature title!

Of course, we have photographs from all of the events, taken by Inga Szeliga

Seven festival days, over 100 writers from Poland and abroad, almost 90 events, meetings in eight languages, three live broadcasts each day, six book premieres under patronage of the Conrad Festival and the second Conrad Award ceremony – the Conrad Festival, the most important literary festival in this part of Europe just started! This year’s theme of the event is Intensity.

For everyone, who will not be able to join us at Czeczotka House, we are going to provide two live broadcasts of the most important meetings, which you will be able to watch on Facebook (here)

Join us and follow Our FacebookCoL Instagram KBF Twitter.

You can find the full programme of the festival here.

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