Lala
A journey through love, memory, and resilience
Jacek Dehnel author Antonia Lloyd-Jones translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Oneworld Publications
Published:6th Jun '19
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£14.99(9781786073570)
In Lala, a Polish family saga unfolds through the eyes of an independent woman, preserving her memories amidst life's challenges and historical turmoil.
Set against the tumultuous backdrop of twentieth-century Europe, Lala is a poignant family saga that weaves together the threads of love, resilience, and memory. The story follows Lala, a remarkable woman born in Poland just after the First World War. Raised to embody the ideals of her time—tolerance, selflessness, and bravery—Lala navigates the complexities of life with grace and tenacity. As she faces the onset of dementia, she embarks on a journey to preserve her cherished memories, sharing captivating tales with her grandson that reflect a life rich in experiences, both joyful and painful.
The narrative sweeps across generations and locations, from the vibrant streets of nineteenth-century Kiev to contemporary Poland. Through Lala's eyes, readers are invited to explore a world marked by historical upheaval and personal triumphs. The stories she tells are not just a means of remembrance; they are a testament to the enduring power of family bonds and the human spirit.
Lala is more than just a recollection of a life well-lived; it is an enthralling celebration of identity, culture, and the intricate tapestry of human relationships. As Lala's journey unfolds, readers will find themselves immersed in a narrative that resonates with universal themes of love, loss, and the quest for connection.
‘Jacek Dehnel paints prewar Poland – “laced with gilt and stucco in the cities, and heavy with the smell of cow pats and fruit lying in the grass in the countryside” – in the vibrant hues of a fairy tale. A multigenerational epic that spans a century and most of Eastern Europe, Lala is an astounding achievement, particularly considering Dehnel wrote it between the ages of 20 and 22...magical.’
* Chicago Tribune *‘Lala is a wonderful mosaic of stories…outrageous and humorous...spellbinding and captivating.’
* Foreword Reviews *‘Dehnel uses his grandmother's life and reminiscences as a springboard for a sweep through Poland's turbulent 20th century, mingled with musings on the nature of storytelling...[there are] some exceptionally beautiful passages...poignantly alive with loss and love.’
* Kirkus *‘Lush… Tender and droll, rueful and rousing, [Lala’s] stories trace one Polish family’s journey from the 1860s to the present day… [Jacek Dehnel] chronicles her decline with delicate but unabashed realism, as well as great humour, and Lloyd-Jones captures these qualities perfectly.’
* The Quarterly Conversation *‘Lyrical passages, some endearingly eccentric characters, a flyby through twentieth-century history, and a convincing voice for Lala.’
* Booklist *‘Eloquently translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, Dehnel’s Lala offers an extraordinary insight into historical events... A striking evocation of Poland’s turbulent past.’
* RivetingReviews *‘A declaration of love for literature and a tribute to an extraordinary woman.’
* Berliner Zeitung *‘A masterfully constructed novel…mature and highly entertaining.’
* Polityka *‘Lala is unique – no author displays such maturity of style, knowledge of form and literary erudition at the age of twenty, because nobody is ever as well-read or intellectual at that age. Dehnel – who wrote this book aged twenty to twenty-two – is the exception that proves the rule.’
* Gazeta Wyborcza *‘Dehnel is gifted with superb literary instinct.’
* Czytelnia Onet- Winner of Paszport Polityki Award 2006 (Poland)
- Long-listed for EBRD Literature Prize 2019
ISBN: 9781786074980
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 28mm
Weight: unknown
400 pages