Talk:Henryk Sienkiewicz

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Link

I removed link to rather obscure Soviet doctor from Mongolia. I think most people won't confuse him with Henryk Sienkiewicz. Of course I am open to arguments.But I find it rather doubtfull the link is neccessary. --Molobo 09:19, 30 May 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Removed mention of only a single living relative in Australia. This claim has no discernable source. It contradicts a later implication that there are multiple (if few) living relatives. Additionally, contradicts my own knowledge of his living relatives, but that is not justification for the edit since it is "original research". Edit made on the other mentioned rationale. 4.141.32.140 05:25, 13 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I changed the phrase "Sienkiewicz had a way with language"--which is rather an obvious thing to say about a Nobel prize winner--to "Sienkiewicz was meticulous in preserving the authenticity of historical language." This may not be the best phrasing either, but I think it is a step in the right direction. 12.217.35.209 02:21, 9 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Confusing

I find this sentence confusing: In 1924, when Poland gained its independence, writer’s ashes were placed in St. John’s Cathedral in Warsaw. It suggests, Poland gained independence in 1924 while it was in 1918. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.77.135.210 (talk) 11:31, 30 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The text was indeed confusing. It had evidently been written by a non-English-native-speaker. I've corrected several of the article's final sentences. I'm sure there is much more that should be corrected, time permitting. Nihil novi (talk) 20:34, 30 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

More Observations

In addition to the many streets and parks in Poland named after Sienkiewicz, there is a short street and park in Rome, Italy, named in his honor. SienkRJ (talk) 22:53, 9 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Could you provide more details? Italian names, web links? --_{Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus| talk} 18:40, 6 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]

First published in English?

When were his works first translated? Are any English translations in public domain? --_{Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus| talk} 18:39, 6 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]

First translated, end of 19th century, beginning of 20th; into English mostly by Jeremiah Curtin—lousy translator. All Curtin's stuff would be in public domain. More recent English translations, about 15 years ago, mostly by W.S. Kuniczak, who took liberties with Sienkiewicz's texts. Nihil novi (talk) 21:26, 6 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, I have to disagree with the above comment. Jeremiah Curtin's* translations of The Trilogy are excellent and can be obtained free from Amazon. I had long wanted to read Sienkiewicz's work as an Englishman living full-time in Poland and I was very pleased to be able to download Curtin's translations onto my kindle.

Sienkiewicz's novels were a true inspiration to the Polish during the the period of the partitions when Poland ceased to exist, being occupied by Prussia, Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. I love the final lines of Pan Wołodyjowski which sum up in a nutshell the author's rationale for writing The Trilogy:

"Here ends this series of books, written in the course of a number of years and with no little toil, for the strengthening of hearts." Ivankinsman (talk) 08:54, 29 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

*Born in Detroit, Michigan,[1][2][3] Jeremiah Curtin spent his early life in Milwaukee County[4] and later graduated from Harvard College in 1863. In 1864 he went to Russia, where he worked as both a translator and for the U.S. legation. He left Russia in 1877, stayed a year in London, and returned to the United States, where he worked for the Bureau of Ethnology at the Smithsonian Museum. His specialties were his work with American Indian languages and Slavic languages. In addition to publishing collections of fairy tales and folklore and writings about his travels, Curtin translated a number of volumes by Henryk Sienkiewicz, including his Trilogy set in the 17th-century Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a couple of volumes on contemporary Poland, and, most famously and profitably, Quo Vadis (1897).

Why is Henryk Sienkiewicz not better known outside Poland?

I think Henryk Sienkiewicz easily compares in the quality of his writing to the likes of Sir Walter Scott, for example, and some of the great Russian and French writers such as Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky and Maupassant. However, I think he is very under-recognised outside Poland which is a great shame. Personally, I feel the Polish Ministry of Culture needs to do a lot more to promote its great literary tradition, which includes other great writers like Boleslaw Prus. Perhaps an annual book festival should be launched in Krakow or Wroclaw to facilitate this. Ivankinsman (talk) 15:39, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Well, in general, few writers are translated into English; he is hardly an exception. --_{Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus| reply here} 12:00, 10 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

He was popular abroad in the past, e.g. in Spain. I think he is not promoted by the Polish authorities, because he has as many fans as haters in Poland.