Ignacy Karpowicz’s Followers (87)

Ignacy Karpowicz

Born

Słuczanka, Poland

Genre

Literature & Fiction

edit data

Born 1976, prose-writer, traveler, translator; he made his debut with the novel Uncool (2006), and then published another novel, The Miracle (2007), and a collection of impressions from his journeys around Ethiopia, The Emperor’s New Flower (and Bees) (2007); which was nominated for the POLITYKA Passport; he lives (mainly) in Warsaw.

The first part of Ignacy Karpowicz’s debut novel, Uncool, might seem to suggest that we have here another young prose-writer seeking to describe the various miseries of the provincial life, as the author brings us young and frustrated residents of Białystok who have difficulty making ends meet. But the second part of the novel clearly leans toward unhinged, no-holds-barred grotesque, in which the writer opens th Born 1976, prose-writer, traveler, translator; he made his debut with the novel Uncool (2006), and then published another novel, The Miracle (2007), and a collection of impressions from his journeys around Ethiopia, The Emperor’s New Flower (and Bees) (2007); which was nominated for the POLITYKA Passport; he lives (mainly) in Warsaw.

The first part of Ignacy Karpowicz’s debut novel, Uncool, might seem to suggest that we have here another young prose-writer seeking to describe the various miseries of the provincial life, as the author brings us young and frustrated residents of Białystok who have difficulty making ends meet. But the second part of the novel clearly leans toward unhinged, no-holds-barred grotesque, in which the writer opens the floodgates of fantasy (the main protagonist speaks with animated monuments, the city becomes a battleground for various fractions, wallowing in total chaos). In his next novel, The Miracle, Karpowicz has clearly set his money down on the grotesque. The book’s protagonist dies in a car accident, but his body does not decay after death, on the contrary – it maintains a high temperature. The appearance of this unusual corpse throws the lives of the people who encounter it into confusion, and forces them to reevaluate their views on the world.

Karpowicz is a refined stylist, who skillfully uses the grotesque, irony and humor (unconventional, disarming, often black) to tackle stereotypical ways of thinking about reality. He makes light of patriotic and religious cliches in an intelligent and refined manner. But Karpowicz is no ordinary provocateur – this mockery is what allows him to gain some distance from the world.
In The Emperor’s New Flower Karpowicz tackles reportage. He describes his travels through Ethiopia, giving us some insight into the history, culture and daily life of this exotic country. The author also tries to deconstruct the traditional model of reportage in his book, consciously bending genres, being neither reportage nor novel, but rather a unique sort of travel prose, thus stressing what he sees as the irreducible subjectivity of his descriptions of the country he encounters. ...more

Combine Editions
Ignacy Karpowicz’s books

Average rating: 3.69 · 5,054 ratings · 437 reviews · 20 distinct works • Similar authors

	Sońka 4.12 avg rating — 1,844 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ości 3.56 avg rating — 698 ratings — published 2013 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Balladyny i romanse 3.56 avg rating — 617 ratings — published 2010 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Miłość 3.20 avg rating — 425 ratings — published 2017 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gesty 3.81 avg rating — 263 ratings — published 2008 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cud 3.22 avg rating — 220 ratings — published 2007 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cicho, cichutko 3.26 avg rating — 213 ratings — published 2021	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Niehalo 2.92 avg rating — 203 ratings — published 2006 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ludzie z nieba 3.49 avg rating — 68 ratings — published 2024	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Nowy kwiat cesarza 2.92 avg rating — 24 ratings — published 2007	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Ignacy Karpowicz…

Quotes by Ignacy Karpowicz (?)

“Zaczarowanie drugą osobą nie znika, najwyżej powszednieje.”
― Ignacy Karpowicz, Cicho, cichutko

tags: inspirational

0 likes

“Tylko że wiatru na polonistyce nie uświadczysz. Jałówki zamykają wszystkie okna w tym chlewie. Jesień, lato, wiosna, zima, świątek, piątek i niedziela - wszystkie okna zaryglowane. Głupie pizdy boją się, żeby ich nie przewiało, żeby nie rozwiało tych feromonów, które wydzielają jak szalone.”
― Ignacy Karpowicz

0 likes

“Gdy skończyła się religia, nie ma z kim targować się o siebie. I tak jest dobrze. Bardzo dobrze. Bardzo.”
― Ignacy Karpowicz

0 likes

See all Ignacy Karpowicz's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Nothing But Readi...: Team Redrum	987	264	Sep 01, 2014 10:14AM
Coffee & Books: Anna's Reading Challenges!	9	69	Dec 26, 2014 03:25AM
Historical Fictio...: Last Letter	8425	2105	Dec 26, 2025 04:19AM

More…

Is this you? Let us know. If not, help out and invite Ignacy to Goodreads.