Pianist (Survival in Warsaw During World War II)

Author: (Polish) W?adys?aw Szpilman, translated by Liu Shicong, Gu Qinan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The book The Pianist was first published in Poland in 1946 under the original title Death of a City. It is a memoir written with life and soul by the renowned Polish radio pianist W?adys?aw Szpilman. At the time when the smoke of World War II had just dissipated in Poland, he recounted the experiences of the Jews and the entire Warsaw city being destroyed with clear yet painful memories, in simple language and with a heart tempered by death. With a calm and unexaggerated tone, he narrated the fate of the Jews—how the war descended upon them, how they were transported and like livestock, the souls in the gas chambers and crematoria, the separation from loved ones, the torment of disease, hunger, and despair, and the mysterious call of life that yearned for salvation. All of this moved the readers' hearts and prompted deep reflection. "The characters in the book are strikingly vivid, but its moral depth is even more noteworthy: Szpilman refused to portray anyone as a hero or a demon." The Pianist is an excellent memoir about survival, depicting the vivid scenes of Nazi invasion, the reconstruction of the Jewish ghetto, and the experiences of Szpilman's family and so many others who were sent to concentration camps. All of these aspects deeply moved the readers. Szpilman is a highly skilled writer.