Lala

Description

A lyrical and moving Polish family saga set against the turbulent backdrop of twentieth-century Europe Lala has lived a dazzling life. Born in Poland just after the First World War and brought up to be a perfect example of her class and generation - tolerant, selfless and brave - Lala is an independent woman who has survived some of the most turbulent events of her times. As she senses the first signs of dementia, she battles to keep her memories alive through her stories, telling her grandson tales of a life filled with love, betrayal and extraordinary acts of courage. Sweeping from nineteenth-century Kiev to modern-day Poland, this enthralling family saga is a celebration of a beautiful life well lived.

Jacek Dehnel (born 1980 in Gdansk) is well established as a poet, and has won several awards. As well as translating many great poets from English into Polish, he has published four volumes of his own poetry, which has also appeared in several leading Polish periodicals and been translated into several European languages. He is also a painter, and presents an arts programme on mainstream Polish television. Lala is his first novel. He lives in Warsaw. Antonia Lloyd-Jones is an award-winning translator of Polish literature, ranging from literary fiction to non-fiction, children's literature, reportage and essays. She regularly mentors other translators, chairs literary events and has been a co-chair of the UK Translators Association. Antonia lives in London.

`A declaration of love for literature and a tribute to an extraordinary woman.' * Berliner Zeitung * `A masterfully constructed novel...mature and highly entertaining.' * Polityka * `Lala is unique - no author displays such maturity of style, knowledge of form and literary erudition at the age of twenty, because nobody is ever as well-read or intellectual at that age. Dehnel - who wrote this book aged twenty to twenty-two - is the exception that proves the rule.' * Gazeta Wyborcza * `Dehnel is gifted with superb literary instinct.' * Czytelnia Onet *