QUARKS ELEPHANTS & PIEROGI: Poland in 100 Words – In English

“An eye-catching new book introducing Polish culture to English-language readers
Can you distil the essence of a country into just 100 words? We think so.
In December 2018, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute’s Culture.pl team sent their first book to the printer’s. Written by Mikolaj Glinski, Matthew Davies and Adam Zulawski, “Quarks, Elephants & Pierogi: Poland in 100 Words” is made up of a series of 100 illustrations and articles that each discuss all sorts of Polish words, such as milosc (love), imieniny (name day), ojczyzna (fatherland), wolnosc (freedom), and even filizanka (tea cup). Often via etymology, each word is an entry point to the multi-layered world of Polish culture and history.
Geared towards English-language readers, especially those with some Polish ancestry, those who pick up the book should find it a fun and innovative introduction to a country with one of most unusual histories out there. It’ll also show them how languages intersect and whole cultures arise, and make readers realise just how interwoven our world is.
Along the way, they’ll find out why quarks are made from curd cheese, learn what elephants have to do with a Central European country, and discover how pierogi saved an entire town. Plus, they’ll get to enjoy 100 illustrations by Polish graphic designer Magdalena Burdzynska.”