First Published 1986

Summary

The Polish title for this book is Początek, which, according to Google translate, means Beginning. It seems a much more appropriate title than The Beautiful Mrs. Seidenman. Because though the novel is set in the 36 hours surrounding the arrest of Mrs. Seidenman, the story isn’t about her, it’s about many individuals and their experiences of that time. 

This book is set in Poland in 1943 shortly before the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. It features characters from a cross-section of the population of Warsaw. They are Catholic, Jewish, Polish, German, collaborators, resistance fighters, professionals, parents, wealthy, poor, young and old. They include a nun, a thief, a professor, a tailor, a judge, a student, a prostitute. 

Its structure is unusual. It doesn’t have a linear plot line or a climax, and that is part of what makes it so special. 

The author plays with fluidity of time through the use of flashbacks and flash-forwards, interspersed with the present. In the same sentence where a character is introduced, the reader is often told how that person will die. Oftentimes, a location is described by what stands there now, what stood there hundreds of years earlier and what will stand there in the future. So, while the book is set in 1943, it is also a story of the past and future.

The room was in twilight, because the judge was a lover of twilight. He didn’t like it when his usually unfinished and hazy thoughts fell into the trap of light. Everything on earth is dark and unclear, and the judge loved to plumb the depths of this world.

The Beautiful Mrs. Seidenman, p. 1

My Thoughts

This book is exceptional. The writing is lyrical, and the style is unique. It is filled with philosophical musings, beautifully developed characters, and memorable interactions. It’s haunting.

This book encourages the reader to reflect upon and engage with the text. It’s filled with ambiguity and the philosophizing is intense, though accessible. It’s a book that makes me long to discuss it with others who have read it.

Familiarity with Polish history will enhance the reading experience, but much can be intuited so it isn’t essential. The most frequently referenced events are the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the Warsaw Uprising, the 1968 persecution of the country’s surviving Jewish population, and the Soviet domination of the country after WW2. There is a brief reference section in the back of the book to explain who some of the historical figures are.

My Rating 5/5

About the Author

Andrzej Szczypiorski (1928-2000) was an award winning novelist from Poland. He was an historian, mathematician, and political scientist. During World War 2, he fought in the Warsaw Uprising which resulted in his arrest. He was sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. After the war, he served as a member of the Polish legislature. In 1981, he was arrested in a crackdown on democracy activists and imprisoned for a year. It was discovered after his death that he had be a police informant during the 1950’s. Many of his experiences are reflected in his writing.

Translator – Klara Glowczewska is the executive travel editor of Town and Country. Born in Warsaw she has translated several books from Polish to English.