Marzena Sowa: 7 books

Marzena Sowa continues her endearing memoir recounting childhood behind the Iron Curtain in Poland. Even at the height of summer vacation deep in the countryside, the noise of urban unrest carries, bringing news of rations, strikes, and Solidarność. Amid a young girl's typical worries—the witch...

"Before, there were trees and countryside. Man didn't intervene. Stalin decided to "rectify" that space, and now, instead of trees, there are concrete buildings, everywhere. Stalin had a factory built. Thanks to that, lots of people got jobs, like my dad." Born in 1979, Marzi is...

One day, while visiting her family in the countryside, Marzi comes across a trail of ants, and decides to have a little fun, blocking their way with sticks and rocks. Is that what it's like to be God? In this second volume, we discover more about Marzi's fascinating life in 1980s Poland, torn between...

The communists are gone, but life is still full of challenges. Both for Poland, and for 12-year-old Marzi, the strong-willed kid finding her voice in a country undergoing radical changes. As the country faces new issues like drug abuse and AIDS, Marzi's piercing gaze notices fraying seams in her own...

"What's going on? Where is my dad? Are we at war? The city is so quiet and dark that it seems hostile and it scares me." Marzi is a little girl like any other. She plays with dolls, gets lost in the woods, covets chewing gum and ballet lessons... Except that she's growing up the behind the...

The fall brings more than changing leaves as massive strikes in Marzi's little hometown help change the course of Polish history. She's proud of her dad, but can he come home now? Eight-year-old Marzi tries her best to keep up, but it can be hard when you keep outgrowing your shoes! With one foot...

A little boy tries to kiss a little girl. No big deal. The little girl gets away and sends the little boy packing. Nothing more than an anecdote amongst many others of any normal childhood. But if this event takes place at school in a Socialist republic, half way through a propaganda movie, years...