Kosciuszko, the Man behind the Mountain

Kosciuszko: The incredible life of the man behind the mountain by Anthony Sharwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kozzie, who was he?
I had an opportunity to meet Anthony Sharwood at a presentation of his book in AIPA (Australian Institute of Polish Affairs) and these were his opening words.
It was really a pleasure to meet a person so fascinated by personality of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Polish national hero.

Thaddeus Kosciuszko - CLICK - born in 1746 in Eastern part of Poland, currently it is Belarus.
Started military training in Poland but not seeing a chance for a meaningful career (Poland was just partially partitioned by neighbouring countries) he migrated to America and joined the American army as an engineer. His skills were appreciated by the highest American commanders - G. Washington, T. Jefferson.
In 1784 he returned to Poland which was then in the final stage of breakdown.
In 1794 he organised and commanded an uprising, last attempt to preserve Poland but failed, Poland was erased from the map of Europe, he was put into a Russian prison.
Luckily for him, after the death of Russian Empress - Catherine the Great, he was released from prison by her son and successor and migrated to USA.
He spend 2 years there and tried to use money earned in USA for the liberation of slaves.
In 1798 he returned to Europe - France - in hope to get some support for regaining independence in Poland.
He met Napoleon and was very disappointed.
Next 15 years he lobbied around Europe for Polish independence.
Congress in Vienna dispelled his dreams - a puppet Kingdom of Poland was created within the Russian Empire.
Last 3 years of his life he spent in Switzerland.

Anthony Sharwood followed Kosciuszko's route, visited all places visited by his hero, read lots of books and articles about T. Kosciuszko.
Half of a book is a very vivid report of his travels and findings.
The other half of a book is related the mountain - Mt Kosciuszko - the highest mountain in Australia. Discovered and named in 1840 by Polish explorer - P. E Strzelecki - CLICK
First point - deterioration of the climate and its effect on the local flora.
Additional element - wild brumbies destroying the vegetation.
Second point - the name.
For some time there are calls to give the name it's original - Aboriginal - name -- Kunama Namagdi which means.... Mountains and Snow???
Why question marks?
Because in my opinion it is not a name of a specific mountain but the name of the area wich was visited by Aboriginal tribes in Autumn - Bogong Moth season.
Mt Kosciuszko as such is not a very distinctive mountain, it does not have any caves, rocks or sites of Aboriginal ceremonies so I suggest to change the name of Snowy Mountains and leave T. Kosciuszko in well deserved peace.
But...
Anthony Sharwood few times asks a perverse question - how Kosciuszko would react to...
- vandalisation of his monument opposite The White House...

- attempts to change the name of Mt Kosciuszko.
In his opinion.... he would not mind.
I agree.

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Pharaoh

Pharaoh by Jackie French
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nice introduction into Egypt prehistory combined with view of surrounding civilisation.

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The Personal Librarian

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Story of Belle da Costa Greene - born in an Afro-American family, completed high school and library courses. After 2 years work as a librarian at the Princetown University Library she got a job of librarian of multimillionaire J.P. Morgan.
Here she demonstrated her exceptional abilities as expert on ancient books and manuscripts and also as a very skillful financial negotiator.
The book presents important aspects of Belle's private life - obsession on hiding her "black" heritage, extraordinary relation with her boss and emotions and disappointment in the only love of her life.
Exciting life, great story.

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Kind of

Kind of, Sort of, Maybe, But Probably Not by Imbi Neeme
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Generally I feel that reading this book was a waste of time.
All the characters were remote to me and I was either bored or disgusted with their way of entertaining themselves.
I felt some sympathy to the main characters - Phoebe, Suzy , but for me descriptions of their feelings and actions was very, very simplistic and naive.

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The Friends

My Friends by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full respect to the author, he managed to make me vulnerable, to shed a tear, to feel spasm in my heart.
It lasted for half of a book, then cracks appeared.
I looked closer on the other face of a lovely FOUR - stealing, making mess, throwing shopping trolley in an abyss. And an overwhelming contempt for security guards.
Could F. Backman write a book about friendship among security guards?

The last third of the book was annoying, I just wanted to finish it and the author employed every possible trick to make it longer.

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The Deal

The Deal by Alex Miller
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It looks to me like a very self-centred story of a not fullfilled artist.
Well written but very alien to me.


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Gulliver's Wife

Gulliver's Wife by Lauren Chater
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I am rather disappointed with this book.
I could not find a STORY in it.
L. Gulliver returns home after his visit to LilliputLand and does not connect with his family - end of story.
Actually I looked to the source - Gulliver Travels by J Swift...
"During my short stay in England, I gained much by showing my cattle to various distinguished people and commoners. Before I undertook my second trip, I sold them for six hundred pounds. I stayed only two months with my wife and children.... I left my wife 1,500 pounds and settled her in a comfortable home in Redriff. My son, John, attended elementary school, and my daughter, Elizabeth (who is now married and has children), learned sewing."

I highly appreciate author's skill and effort in presenting conditions in which London midwifes in XVIII century lived and operated.
I appreciate author's skill in presenting environment in which London midwifes in XVIII century lived and operated but in first place I got a feeling that she connected her story to a very popular book just to gain readership and haven't tried to pass to the reader the atmosphere of the original.

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The Great Man

The Great Man by Al Morgan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read a Polish translation of the book, while reading I got memories from many years ago when I heard it as a radio play.
My memories were good and resulted in a positive rating - based on cold reasoning my rating would be lower..
The story - a very popular radio presenter dies, radio bosses are planning to deliver a new one. The book shows how cold and ruthless process it is.
Story is told from the position of a candidate to replace the star who died.
He investigates the career of his predecessor and learns many bad things about him and it looks that if he follows this career path, he will be the same.
On one hand I was bored a bit with the details of dependencies in radio business, on the other hand I liked author's writing style.

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Best Wishes

Best Wishes by Richard Glover
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Definitely not my type of a book, I read it only because it was to be discussed in my book club.
Why not my type of a book?
Because in a book I am looking for a STORY, sometimes I try to connect to the story.
Best Wishes is something opposite - list of things author dislikes, 365 of them.
Generally I found this approach annoying, the only positive was a good sense of humour of the author.

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The Goddess of Warsaw

The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book upset me very much.
I appreciate author's skill and effort to write a breathtaking story of passion, sex, betrayal and murder but I cannot accept mixing this shit with the history of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

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Shmutz

Shmutz by Felicia Berliner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hasidic family in New York - absolutely unknown territory for me.
Young girl addicted to pornography - even more alien environment.
Still I read the book with interest mainly because I really liked the main character - Raizl.
Hard working girl preparing for a prearranged marriage.
Why she accepts so easily this very strict traditions?
My answer is - she feels love in her family, at least in its female part and she does not want to break this thread.

Why she accepts so easily a very strict traditions?

No answer.

What is the role of addiction to pornography in her life, in the story?

No answer.

My general understanding is - she feels love in her family, at least in its female part and she does not want to break this thread.

Other side of the story - men.

There are very few in this book and they are from different world.

Tati - the father - definitely a nasty character.

Younger brother - quite nice, older brother - almost like Tati. 

What is her vision/hope for her marriage?

The chosen one - at least he clearly states - no computer in our home.

What struck me quite strongly was information that pious man starts the day with thanks to
the G-d: Blessed are you, Hashem (Lord, our God), ruler of the universe who has not created me a woman.
A woman starts a day with thanks to G-d, that he created her according to His will.
I would like to read a similar story written from a position a Hasidic man.

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Where the Birds Call Her Name

Where the Birds Call Her Name by Claire van Ryn
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I liked some aspects of the book - layout, illustrations, visible effort of the author to deliver a comprehensive story. As a result I felt motivated to continue reading.
Visible effort - generally you recognise a master when she/he delivers a piece of art effortlessly, here I found an opposite - visible effort which somehow melted my heart,
Tangible result?
Not so good, I found the story artificially complicated, characters not real.
I welcomed the end with a relief.

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The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After reading few pages of this book I got lost.
Every few lines a new character introduced with not much connection to the main plot of the story.
Main plot? The story?
I could not find any of these.
Still I continued reading although without much heart. I read slowly, just few pages at a time and after some time I got into the climate of the book - I still could not figure out who cheated whom and why but I started enjoying the mess around me.
Another positive point was a check of authors biography - James McBride - his father was an Afro-American pastor, his mother - a Jewish immigrant from Poland. Her maiden name - Zylska - raises some sentiment - from my early years I remember a popular Polish singer - Natasha Zylska :)
Anyway - at around 2/3 of the book I started enjoying it, unfortunately last few chapters broke the spell.

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Portrait of Poland

Portrait of Poland by Bernard Newman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Few years ago I read Pedalling Poland by the same author, I was surprised to learn that he visited Poland after the war and tempted to read the book.
My feeling are mixed.
On one hand I appreciate an effort to present quite comprehensive history of Poland to English reader, on the other hand - there is practically NO STORY.
I can imagine that B. Newman expected that the book may interest British politicians and business people who were involved in contacts with Poland.
Maybe it did.
I do not think it may raise any interest in Polish readers.

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Black Dogs

Black Dogs by Ian McEwan
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I read this book long ago and was not impressed.
I gave the book another chance - no success.
Construction of the book is original - the narrator is a young person who is more interested with lives of other people than with his own.
His target is a married couple which for some time was united by their devotion to Communism. Then, as the glamour of communism evaporated, there came a deep divide between them.
The man stayed rational - he changed his political view but it did not affect his professional position.
The woman - became mystic... whatever it means.
There is no discussion of man's disenchantment with communism, in the case of the woman it is even simpler - she experienced a vision.
So where is the story?
Instead of the story there are reports of 2 facts:
- the fall of Berlin Wall
- visit to Majdanek - German concentration camp.
I got a nasty suspicion that the author wrote this book to publicise his experience from these 2 events.

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All that's left unsaid

All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Somehow I felt very strongly touched by this book.
Eavesdropping talks between Ky and Minnie raised in me mixed feelings - tenderness towards both girls and various levels of dislike for their parents, school friends/enemies and the whole Cabramatta environment.
Me and my family experienced migration from Poland to Australia with a 2 years pause in Middle East - reading this book I realised how many traps and troubles existed around us but somehow they did not touch us.
This brings questions about national and cultural background, questions I will NOT try to answer.
Summarising - the book raised strong emotions - full respect to the Author. On the other hand, the balance of these emotions is negative, I feel that the world around me is not so good as I would like to think.

P.S. After reading this book I looked back - what other books about Vietnam I had read?
Ahn Do - The happiest Refuge - so happy and positive story - masculine story?
Graham Greene - The quiet American - disgusting treatment of Vietnamese people, it convinced me that Communism was the way to bring dignity to those people.

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A History of the World in 101/2 Chapters

A History of the World in 10½ Chapters by Julian Barnes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I listened to the audiobook and it was a serious problem.
Initially I found looking at the biblical story from a position of a stowaway worm amusing a bit but it not lasted long.
Unfortunately the format of the audiobook did not give me a chance to jump between chapters, so I had either listen blindly to the stowaway worm or jump out - I chose the second option.
I gave an extra star as a sign of appreciation of author's sense of humour.

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Changing my mind

Changing My Mind by Julian Barnes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Julian Barnes - in this case the face tells a lot...

I can see here some similarity to famous actor - Alec Guinness ....

 

...on one hand very calm and controlled, on the other - ready to make a joke.

From this perspective I found in this book only one side of Julian Barnes face - controlled and withdrawn. 

Actually I did not notice much of changing his mind - it was always so controlled.
As a result I found his memories ... lukewarm.

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Butter

Butter by Asako Yuzuki
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Sorry, I cheated, so far I read only 3 pages of this book but I think I got already important points to report.
Firstly - translation - the narrative is very rough so, not being able to read original, I blame the translator.
Secondly - one of protagonists - Rika - is going to buy butter for her friend Reiko. She visits 3 shops, there are announcements that due to product shortages supplies are limited to one item per customer.
So, I assume she could have bought easily 3 packs of butter but somehow she brought margarine to her friend.
Exciting!
To be continued...
===

I forced myself to endure (skip over) some 20 pages and reaad about a visit in the Detention Centre and the real taste of butter.
This was quite convincing...
I do not remember specifically eating boiled rice with fresh butter but I remember a sensation of butter melting in my mouth in the hot company of bread or potato...
And then...
I tried to read few pages more but gave up on page 77.

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Cold enough for Snow - AgaIn

 I could not finish reading this book, actually I put it away very quickly.

I asked ChatGPT how this book could/should be received by an old male reader with European background - the answer below.
Note: I italicised fragments with which I do not agree.

There are books that speak to us in loud, unmistakable voices—books that assert, explain, declare. Then there are books like Cold Enough for Snow, whose voice is quiet, almost ghostly, but persistent. Jessica Au’s novella is a soft, snow-covered path winding through memory, culture, and the quiet, often unreconciled spaces between generations. For a man of European descent who has lived long enough to see the world change several times over, the book felt like a whisper across the years, both foreign and achingly familiar.

The story follows a young woman traveling in Japan with her mother. That is the plot, in the loosest sense. But what Au offers is less a narrative and more a meditation—on identity, language, family, and the way time softens and distorts everything we try to hold onto. It reminded me of the works of W.G. Sebald or even the mood of late autumn European poetry: sparse, elegiac, composed.

Though I grew up in post-war Europe and Au’s narrator is of Asian descent, our concerns overlap in unexpected ways. The disconnection between parent and child—something sharpened by migration, generational distance, and unspoken emotion—feels deeply familiar. In my own family, I recall similar silences, the heavy pauses that carry far more than any sentence. It struck me that while the specifics differ—different countries, different wars, different migrations—the emotional terrain is nearly identical.

The prose is spare but precise. I admired that. Too many modern books seem to chase attention with fireworks. This one sits beside you and waits. There’s a passage where the narrator wonders whether we ever truly understand another person, even our own mother.
That line stayed with me. At 78, I’ve buried both of my parents and still find myself wondering what parts of their interior lives I never glimpsed, what histories they carried quietly to their graves.

I will admit, this is not a book for everyone. There is no plot to speak of, no dramatic revelation or climax. But there is grace here, and a kind of moral stillness that I found moving. For readers like me—who have lived long enough to know that clarity rarely arrives in a blaze of light, but rather in soft accumulations—Au’s novella feels like a small, solemn gift.

In the end, Cold Enough for Snow reminded me of walking in a strange city on a grey winter morning: slightly lost, full of reflection, and at peace with not having all the answers.