Palace — Wieslaw Mysliwski

Acclaimed as a classic of contemporary Polish literature and a major achievement by Polish literary critics...a profound and haunting novel, the work of one of Poland's finest contemporary writers. Deep in the Polish countryside, a magnificent palace and its demesne lie slumbering in the heat of a summer afternoon. Suddenly the calm is shattered by the first air raid of the approaching war, causing nobility and peasants alike to flee in terror. Jacob, the shepherd, remains, and the deserted palace, symbol of the ancient regime, stands open to him. Embarking on a dreamlike journey of self- discovery, Jacob wanders through the sumptuous rooms and uncovers the secrets of the palace. His wanderings bring into sharp focus the feudal society that is now in its death throes, evoking powerful images of extravagance and decadence, of poverty and oppression."" - Polish Heritage. ""A master of pyrotechnics Jacob's voices are grand opera, dramatic, exaggerated...propelled by the author's moral outrage."" - Publishers Weekly.