Things I Didn't Throw Out

Name: Things I Didn't Throw Out
Brand: Allen & Unwin
SKU: 9781914198021
Price: 23.0 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Marcin Wicha

0.0 (0 reviews)

4.05

( 6,096 ratings, 606 reviews)

Summary

Things I Didn't Throw Out by Marcin Wicha is a poignant memoir where the author delves into the themes of memory and family through the items left by his late mother. As he sorts through her belongings, each object evokes stories and reflections about their shared past, revealing the complexities of their relationship and the enduring presence of those we've lost.
Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

$23⁰⁰

Elsewhere:

~~$24⁹⁹~~

Backorder

STOCK ARRIVING MID JULY Order now to secure your copy from our next shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

Things I Didn't Throw Out

$23⁰⁰

Elsewhere:

~~$24⁹⁹~~

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 deeply personal and introspective stories that explore themes of memory, family, and loss. Delve into a poignant narrative where ordinary objects become vessels of history, sparking a tender reflection on the relationship between past and present. Fans of evocative and thoughtful memoirs will likely find it compelling.

A wry and unsentimental account of the attempt to understand a parent as an independent person with their own history.

Description

Lamps, penknives, paperbacks, mechanical pencils, inflatable headrests. Marcin Wicha's mother, Joanna, was a collector of everyday objects. She found intrinsic—and often idiosyncratic—value in each item. When she dies and leaves her apartment intact, Wicha is left to sort through her things.

The objects are the seemingly ordinary possessions of an ordinary life. But through them, Wicha begins to construct an image of Joanna as a Jewish woman, a mother, and a citizen. As Poland emerged from the Second World War into the material meanness of the Communist regime, shortages of every kind shaped its people in deep and profound ways. What they chose to buy, keep—and, arguably, hoard—tells the story of contemporary Poland.

Joanna's Jewishness, her devotion to work, her formidable temperament, her weakness for consumer goods, all accumulate into an unforgettable portrait of a woman and, ultimately, her country. Things I Didn't Throw Out is an intimate, unconventional, and very funny memoir about everything we leave behind.

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?

Things I Didn't Throw Out by Marcin Wicha is a poignant exploration of memory and loss, where the author reflects on his mother's life through the objects she left behind. Reviews highlight Wicha's ability to intertwine humour and nostalgia, offering a unique perspective on the relationship between material possessions and personal history. The memoir is praised for its introspective depth and emotional resonance, providing readers with a touching narrative that balances reflection with a keen sense of cultural and personal identity.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781914198021

Publisher: Daunt Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 14 October 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Daunt Books

Contributors:

Translated by Marta Dziurosz

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Weight: 250g

Pages: 208

Collections

Biography & Memoir Marcin Wicha Non-Fiction

About the Author

Marcin Wicha was born in Warsaw in 1972. A graphic designer and writer, he is one of Poland's most successful contemporary writers and the author of a number of bestselling children's books, as well the winner of Poland biggest literary prizes for his adult writing. In 2017 he published Rzeczy, ktorych nie wyrzucilem (Things I Didn't Throw Out), which became a bestseller and won the Polityka Passport award and the prestigious Nike LiteraryAward.