Madame
Written by Antoni Libera
Translated from the Polish by Agnieszka Kolakowska

In Communist-dominated Warsaw a self-absorbed Polish teenager pursues intellectual maturity - and the woman of his dreams, his French teacher, the mysterious 'Madame'. In a novel part detective story, part romance, Libera paces his exuberant young hero's fulminations, fantasies and discoveries beautifully, building a remarkably subtle characterization of a free mind in a repressive culture.

"Antoni Libera's Madame, set in Soviet-controlled Warsaw in the 1960's, demonstrates the power of the coming-of-age novel to renew itself with each generation. . . Libera's portrayal of a gifted mind learning courage and honor in the most deprived of circumstances is inherently powerful and dramatic."
The New York Times

"Masterfully constructed, the tantalizing pace builds to a mystifying and heart-wrenching climax. Libera writes with a wit worthy of Nabokov. . . this epic fantasy is deeply satisfying, heartbreaking, and enthralling."
Publishers Weekly

ANTONI LIBERA (1949 - ) is a literary critic, translator, and theater director, noted especially for his collaborative work with Samuel Beckett. Madame is his first novel.

AGNIESZKA KOLAKOWSKA (1960 - ) was born in Poland, brought up in England and educated at Yale and Cambridge. She has translated works from Polish and French into English, as well as working as a freelance editor and journalist. Books translated include Them: Stalin's Polish Puppets by Teresa Toranska and Freedom, Fame, Lying and Betrayal by Leszek Kolakowski.

Publishing House: Canongate U.S., New York 2004
SoftCover book measuring 5" x 7.75"
448 pages
English Language Version

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