Polacy

The Xenophobe's Guide

by Ewa Lipniacka, Barbara Swiderska (Translator)

Ksenofobia - irracjonalny strach przed cudzoziemcami, czasami nawet uzasadniony, a na pewno zawsze zrozumiały.

Poradnik ksenofoba - krytyczne spojrzenie na przesądy i słabostki innych narodów, prawie gwarantujące wyleczenie się z ksenofobii.

Dla polskich matek dzieci to tyle, co gęsi sztrasburskie - są po to, żeby je tuczyć. Jeśli polska matka powie ci, że ma poważne kłopoty z synkiem, to wcale nie oznacza, że mały Tomek spalił szkołę i poszukuje go policja w całym kraju. Oznacza to, że znów nie zjadł obiadu.

Motto ksenofoba - Przezorny zawsze ubezpieczony.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Travel, Poland, Polish Literature, Cultural, Comedy

63 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Kasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Xenophobia: an irrational fear of foreigners, probably justified, always understandable.

Wanna know all about starting a revolution with a logo? Or why the Napoleon was revered here, though he only saw the Poles as cannon fodder? Well I'm not telling you, but it's all in this little book.

At 64 pages this is more like an elongated brochure written by an affectionate knowledgeable person than a 4 volume technical guide, but I think it works just perfect and there's nothing simplistic about it. Surprisingly accurate, incredibly funny and rather informative*. It's a Poles-101 (introduction to all things Polish, not to dance poles or North/South Poles) with a humorous twist and thus really readable. And whether you're in it for information in order to make your potential conversation with a fellow Pole more comprehensible, or just for laughs - you're getting it both. And this is what I mean:

Never say never
When the Communists rather foolishly tried to stop the Poles practising their religion, the churches filled to overflowing. 'Forbidden' is a term of encouragement to a Pole.

Necessity is the mother of invention
Key national characteristics are adaptability, a knack for improvisation, and the ability to make the best of what is available. A good Polish cook is one who can make gourmet soup from a rusty nail.

The downside? It's on the short side, it's for the western audience, so Polish relations with eastern nations aren't explored in depth, and it was published 10 years ago - minor revisions here and there are due. Nevertheless I had tons on fun with this little book, and it makes me curious about other Xenophobe's guides currently out there.


____________________________________________
*If you're not a Pole. For all Poles out there: you already know all this stuff, what are you doing reading this stuff?! Curiosity killed the cat remember?!! You don't need to know what they tell foreigners about us.... or do you?

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is nice and in most cases accurate, nevertheless as a person that has been living in Poland for over 6 years and having also polish background there are some aspects of the book that should be clarify. One of them is at the very end when she mention that polish people tend to use diminutives. This is true only for Krakow, in other places the expressions are not mention in the same way. Another aspect that she should clarify is the church. People still going to church, even young people go around on Sunday to church and you will find several times that there is not place to seat. I will not point out all the errors, instead I will recognize the effort to show in such a short book how polish people are. Of course the book is outdated in some aspects but is a good first approach to how polish people behave and their traditions, and the fact that she does this in just 86 pages is pretty amazing.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly I'm a Polish person and while I must sadly disagree with a few things included in this book (espcially the trains part, I would know, I use them quite a lot and they're often as loaded as public transport) the others are just on spot. Some other information are a bit outdated already, unless I haven't spotted this kind of behavior yet and I simply don't know it's legit. Otherwise I felt like reading about myself or people I know however. 5 stars for a good, honest giggle this book got out of me.

[David Rodenko · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not buy

I studied Poland for few years, including university and personal visits to the country. About half of this book is utter crap made up or based on personal experiences but not researched at all. This lack of proper knowledge creates an image of Poland and Poles alike that misleads and will give you no benefit at all, may even lead you to offend most of the polish people and ruin your business, as some of the customs are simply nonexistent country wide.

[Karol Stosiek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as amusing as the Xenophobe's guide to Swiss and not factually reliable. It's a fun thing to read, but has to be taken with a bigger grain of salt than the other guide. Yet, still fun to read and probably the initial source of knowledge for people who would like to get an impression of what Poles are like. With a smile.

[Marzena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry to say that, but having Polish roots and speaking the language doesn't give magic abilities to write about the country itself if you've never lived there. The book isn't accurate much or even remotely funny.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book points out all the good and bad behaviors of the nation. Good and informative for foreigners, who come to Poland. If you're Polish and reading this book, you can either laugh or cry. Or cry cause of laughter. As some books about Poland it needs new edition - many things has changed.

[marcus miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humorous look at Poles and Poland. A quick read with some laughs, especially if you know Poles or have visited Poland.

[Jcwint · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Pole, I found this book surprisingly accurate. It was a quick and humorous read and I'll probably give some of the other books a shot.

[Dorota · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wanted to be funny but I think sometimes it just tried to hard. Not as amusing as it was made out to be.

[Texas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though not every piece of information is correct, it gives quite an accurate picture of Poles.
Fun to read.

[ramoncia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so funny the author wanted it to be (and I'm not saying that because I'm polish!). Although still true :).

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humorous though it may be, this handy little book contains more than a little wisdom about those lovable Poles.

[Marina Sinelnikova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining though probably rather dated (I wonder how such a book would sound now. Or fifty years before this one was written).

[Luiza]

Nie z przyjemnością, ale musiałam ocenić na 5 gwiazdek.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very outdated. Not very relevant. I would say it needs to be rewritten - completely.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as funny as the others in the series.

[Elsie Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book offers a nice, concise overview of Polish culture, and for the most part, it gets a lot right. As someone who has lived in Poland for over six years and has Polish roots, I can appreciate the effort to paint a picture of what it's like to be Polish and navigate Polish society. However, there are a few things that might need a bit more clarification, especially for those who are less familiar with the country. For instance, one of the points that the author touches on is the frequent use of diminutives in the Polish language. While this is certainly a characteristic of the language, it's more common in certain regions, especially in Krakow. In other parts of Poland, people don’t use diminutives as often, and this could be misleading for someone who isn’t familiar with the regional differences. So, while it’s accurate for some parts of Poland, it doesn’t really represent the entire country’s way of speaking.

Another thing I think the author should have elaborated on is the role of the church in Polish life. The book mentions it briefly, but it doesn’t fully capture just how central religion still is, especially in the day-to-day lives of Polish people. Even young people, who might be seen as more secular in other parts of Europe, are still regularly attending church services on Sundays. It’s not uncommon to see churchgoers filling the pews, with some churches even having standing room only during Mass. It’s a big part of the culture, and I think the author could have expanded on that point to give a fuller picture of the significance of religion here.

That said, I don’t want to nitpick too much. The book does a great job for what it’s aiming to do. It's not meant to be an exhaustive guide to Polish life, but rather a brief introduction. Considering that it manages to cover Polish traditions and customs in just 86 pages, I think the author has done a pretty impressive job. It’s definitely a good starting point for someone who’s curious about Polish culture or wants to learn a bit more before visiting. Yes, some aspects are outdated or not fully explored, but for a small book, it does provide a solid snapshot of how Polish people think, act, and celebrate.

One thing I will say is that the book could benefit from updating certain sections. Culture changes over time, and there are probably a few things that have shifted since the book was written. For example, attitudes toward things like technology, youth culture, and social norms have evolved, and a more modern take on these topics would add depth to the overall understanding of Poland today. Still, it's important to recognize the effort the author put into presenting a view of the country as it stands, even if some of the details might feel a little dated.

All in all, I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick introduction to Polish culture. It’s not a comprehensive analysis, but it’s an enjoyable and informative read. It covers a lot of ground in a short amount of space, and while there are a few things that could use more nuance or revision, it’s still a good resource for getting a sense of what being Polish is all about. And honestly, given how much can change in a short period of time, the book does a commendable job of capturing the essence of Polish society, even if it's not the most up-to-date version of it.

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book tries to describe Poles in less than 90 pages. Since I just had few Polish acquaintances (hi Luke from Grudziądz! We became friend during a language trip in Berlin: he recognized the manga character on my T-shirt), I can't say if all the info are correct or not. Sure I took two year of Polish back in uni but it was long ago.

The writing style was a bit difficult and I didn't get most of the jokes. Was it English humor?

I have other four to read (Italians, of course, Finns, Swedes and Dutch) and then I'll decide if I can read more or I'll stop with the Xenophobe's Guides.

[Wilmington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have met a lot of Poles since they started flooding in the Western European job market a few years ago and grew increasingly curious about this culture that was for me one of the most enigmatic within Europe. I don't know of a better introduction to the Polish values, mindset and social practices. The book is one of the most insightful and artfully written in the Xenophobe's Guide series (along with those on the Swedes, Austrians and Irish). Every page is interesting and entertaining. I won't grant it five stars only because it is so short, like the other books in the series.

[Alex Bellefeuille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, tongue-in-cheek, well-informed and realistic view on the Poles from the outside. Of course the tone is of pure British humour, however the reader should not see the information as overly exaggerated, rather as delivered in a funny, comedic way. I highly recommend the whole series "The Xenophobe's Guide to...", having read a few more and feeling like my native culture (Canadian) was also spot-on described.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Polish American (at least part, but I was mostly raised by my Polish family), this book is fairly accurate. This reminded me so much of my childhood, what my family used to be like, right down to so many of my personality quirks. I found myself laughing through quite a bit of it.

[Ilva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Šis un tas varētu būt tā, kā raksta autore, bet ļoti daudz likās pilnīgas muļķības.

[Kamil Goungor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining (and in a way educating) book. Will definitely look to find about other nationalities too.

[Antonina Nowicka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kwintesencja Polski w niecalych 100 stronach. polecam

[Derek Henderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perfunctory and not amusing (despite the author's best efforts).

[Darnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short little tongue-in-cheek book, more a guide to stereotypes than a real guidebook.

[Eli LW · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally attained citizenship and am going to the consulate for my passport next month, so I figured I should learn something about my people. What a nation we are!

[Wojtek Czacharowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Polaków portret własny - to najkrótszy a zarazem najpełniejszy opis tej książki. Napisana z humorem, przedstawia nas takimi jakimi jesteśmy, i jakimi nas widzą. Część zawartych obserwacji jest zaskakująco trafna. Należy do lektury podejść z przymrużeniem oka i oddać się zabawie.

[howard tindall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful

I found this book amusing rather than 'laugh out loud' humour, but I suspect it is very close to the mark.