The Salt of the Earth

Name: The Salt of the Earth
Brand: Allen & Unwin
SKU: 9781782274728
Price: 27.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Jozef Wittlin

0.0 (0 reviews)

3.92

( 465 ratings, 76 reviews)

Summary

The Salt of the Earth by Jozef Wittlin follows the journey of Piotr Niewiadomski, a humble Polish peasant, during the tumultuous times of World War I. Drafted into the Austro-Hungarian army, he confronts the upheaval and absurdity of war while trying to remain true to his simple nature. This novel provides a poignant exploration of the human spirit amidst the chaos of conflict.
Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

$27⁹⁹

AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 3-4 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

The Salt of the Earth

$27⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate poignant narratives that explore the profound effects of war on individuals. This story offers an introspective look into human nature and resilience, set against the backdrop of the First World War, delivering a heartfelt portrayal with rich, emotive prose.

The Salt of the Earth

The classic pacifist novel by a major Polish writer, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize.

Description

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the villagers of the Carpathian mountains lead a simple life, much as they have always done. The modern world has yet to reach the inhabitants of this remote region of the Habsburg Empire. Among them is Piotr, a bandy-legged peasant, who wants nothing more from life than an official railway cap, a cottage, and a bride with a dowry.

But then the First World War reaches the mountains and Piotr is drafted into the army. All the weight of imperial authority is used to mould him into an unthinking fighting machine, forced to fight a war he does not understand, for interests other than his own.

The Salt of the Earth is a classic war novel and a powerfully pacifist tale about the consequences of war for ordinary men.

With a foreword by Philippe Sands.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Salt of the Earth by Jozef Wittlin is celebrated as a significant Central European war story, with comparisons drawn to the works of Jaroslav Hašek. Critics praise its lively, faithful depiction of the cultural complexities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire before World War I. Wittlin's work is noted for its irony, compassion, and poetic quality, lending it a timeless, mythic dimension.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781782274728

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 January 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pushkin Press

Contributors:

Translated by Patrick John Corness

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 352

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Jozef Wittlin Literary Fiction

About the Author

Jozef Wittlin, born in 1896, was a major Polish poet, novelist, essayist and translator. He studied in Vienna and served in the Austro-Hungarian army in the First World War. His experiences during that war inspired him to write The Salt of the Earth, which was first published in 1935. It was awarded the Polish National Academy Prize, won Wittlin a nomination for the Nobel Prize, and has since been translated into 14 languages. With the outbreak of the Second World War he fled to France and then to New York, where he died in 1976.

Also by Jozef Wittlin

View all

City of Lions

By Philippe Sands and Jozef Wittlin

Paperback

$29⁹⁹

Available
Ships in 3-4 weeks