Monday, 14 April 2014

Week 7: Vampires from PRL


Have you ever heard about vampires? Well that’s something everyone heard about. Some see them as sparkling teenagers, some as well-mannered lords and some as seeking blood beasts. But have you ever thought how would a vampire look like in People’s Republic of Poland? Welcome to the 80s when toilet paper was scarce, Turkish jeans was a peak of the fashion and streets were filled with worst creatures that ever existed… communists. Oh, and also vampires. How to fight those creatures when government profess atheism? Holy water? Crucifix? We don’t believe superstitions. Garlic? Sorry, granulated and imported from Czechoslovakia. You would think that this is the best place for vampire to live. Well, you are wrong. In this society it’s hard to call yourself the count. Blood of common people tastes awfully and vampire powers are long forgotten. What to do in this kind of situation? You have to be cunning, and Polish people are excellent in that.

I hope you liked my little introduction. What I am presenting to you is the book written by Andrzej Pilipiuk, called “Wampir z M-3”. If you already know “Jakub Wędrowycz” you might like this. This book is a collection of stories about a pack of vampires that are trying to live peacefully in a Warsaw during the times of PRL. Of course there are people who don’t like their plans and try to get rid of them, with SB in the front and grandmother Adelaide with commando veterans in the back. You might think that simple life is easy, and you couldn’t be more wrong. Here every simple and trivial thing (such as getting a birthday present) can grow into an epic challenge. Interested? I hope so. 
  1. Do you know any Andrzej Pilipiuk books?
  2. Maybe you have already read “Wampir z M-3”, if not would you like to?

8 comments:

  1. Do you know any Andrzej Pilipiuk books?
    No.
    Maybe you have already read “Wampir z M-3”, if not would you like to?
    No.


    Well, this was fast. Something worth reading:
    http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/apr/14/guardian-washington-post-pulitzer-nsa-revelations

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  2. "Wędrowycz" series are so bad that they're funny. Pilipiuk is not a good writer by any sort, but he couldn't write an non-succesful book while coming up with ideas like two bums cooking atomic bomb in the fire. I like the anthology of his short stories, "2586 kroków" - I think it's his most well-written book. However, your introduction was really funny and I think I might try to read the book you promote. Interesting approach to vampires is something I really search for. I'm a fan of Vampire: Masquerade universe, so I can compare what you write about to Vampire: Bloodlines - there, you're just a young vampire dwelling through LA streets, where the easiest prey to get are the hookers and bums. Obiously, they taste horrible, and when you're born a noble, your stomach can't keep their blood inside. Funny and tragic, I'd say.

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  3. No, I haven't read any of his books but I have heard of him. But I think that it is a good idea to put a plot into a reality of PRL's times.

    It might encourage young people to read a little bit about Polish recent history.

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  4. I haven't read that book and any other of this author. I agree with Tomek- it's a great idea to put a vampires into PRL's reality. It's catchy, funny and encouraging for young teenagers who could know a little bit about history. What comes into my mind is a board game called “Kolejka” which has similar features.

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  5. I haven’t heard about Andrzej Pilipiuk. I think that I wouldn’t like his work. I’m sorry but for me a story about vampires living in Warsaw during PRL times seems a little bit stupid and cheap.

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  6. I know his books: Kuzynki and series about Wędrowycz. I like his style and I think he is talented writer. I would like to read “Wampir z M-3”, but I'm not sure if I would enjoy this book. Probably I would be to young to fully understand problems and the irony of the life of people who lived in PRL.

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  7. Do you know any Andrzej Pilipiuk books?
    Sure I read some of his books few years ago. Polish reality and connections
    to popular culture in his books are pretty funny.
    Maybe you have already read “Wampir z M-3”, if not would you like to?
    Unfortunately I am not interested in this kind of books already.
    Mayby Im to old.

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