Keynote
The biography of an exceptionally original
and widely-read Polish writer, and at once
a panorama of the pre-war cultural and
intellectual life of central-eastern Europe.

Selling Points
 A biography of one of the most
important and unfairly forgotten Polish
women writers of the twentieth century.
 A multi-layered portrait of the period –
pre-war Poland, rocked by political, social,
and ethnic conflicts.
 A panorama of the literary and cultural
life of the first half of the twentieth
century in central and eastern Europe.
 Padoł’s biography allows us to see
Rodziewiczówna in quite a new light –
the author points up previously ignored
gender and feminist motifs.
 The writer was descended from
the Polish gentry of Poland’s eastern
borderlands – a complex and colourful
world that vanished after the Second
World War, and her life story is one of
the passing of that cultural and social
universe.
 Owing to her excellent interpretations
of the author’s novels, Padoł uncovers
numerous forgotten literary pearls for
today’s readers.
 The author is a dynamic and well-known
journalist.

Description
Maria Rodziewiczówna was in every sense
a remarkable individual. She came from
a landowning family with strong patriotic
traditions. The world of the “Kresy”,
the eastern marches of pre-war Poland
vanished before her very eyes, and her
novels are a peculiar chronicle of their
demise. She was very popular during her
lifetime, though unappreciated by critics
and in literary circles. Her lively plots
and love stories, the intense political
and social background – all mean that
new generations of readers can find
something for themselves in her writings.
Nonetheless, Rodziewiczówna. A Fevered
Soul is not just a key text for the Polish‑language
literature about the author,
but also about a strong, unconventional
woman who didn’t fit into the narrow
mores of her times. She dressed like
a man and had intimate relationships with
other women. Thanks to Emilia Padoł,
she is becoming an important figure for
contemporary feminism. The author
presents her multi‑dimensionally,
without
avoiding uncomfortable parts of her
biography, such as her chauvinism and
anti-Semitism. Thus emerges a complex
and fascinating story of a complicated
woman and the era that shaped her.

Target Market
Fans of biographies.
People interested in Polish twentieth
century culture.
Readers of feminist and gender-themed
literature.