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Adam Michnik

In Search of Lost Meaning: The New Eastern Europe Hardcover – May 23, 2011

by Adam Michnik (Author), Irena Grudzinska Gross (Editor), Roman Czarny (Translator),

4.2 4 ratings

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In this new collection of essays, Adam Michnik―one of Europe’s leading dissidents―traces the post-cold-war transformation of Eastern Europe. He writes again in opposition, this time to post-communist elites and European Union bureaucrats. Composed of history, memoir, and political critique, In Search of Lost Meaning shines a spotlight on the changes in Poland and the Eastern Bloc in the post-1989 years. Michnik asks what mistakes were made and what we can learn from climactic events in Poland’s past, in its literature, and the histories of Central and Eastern Europe. He calls attention to pivotal moments in which central figures like Lech Walesa and political movements like Solidarity came into being, how these movements attempted to uproot the past, and how subsequent events have ultimately challenged Poland’s enduring ethical legacy of morality and liberalism. Reflecting on the most recent efforts to grapple with Poland’s Jewish history and residual guilt, this profoundly important book throws light not only on recent events, but also on the thinking of one of their most important protagonists.

Print length

248 pages
Language

English
Publisher

University of California Press
Publication date

May 23, 2011
Dimensions

6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0520269233
ISBN-13

978-0520269231
See all details

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A powerful collection of essays.” ― The Economist Published On: 2011-06-16

“In special cases, one closes a book with the mind churning, stirred by the arguments within. In still rarer cases, one sets down the book and is moved by the spirit and character of its author. This is one such book.” -- Robert Legvold ― Foreign Affairs Published On: 2011-11-01

“[Michnik] is the finest champion of everything that has been achieved [in Poland], an eloquent expositor of the moral issues that underlie the conflicts of his lifetime. His latest collection of essays, In Search of Lost Meaning, does not disappoint.” -- Norman Davies ― New York Review Of Books Published On: 2013-01-10

“This profoundly important book throws light not only on recent events, but also on the thinking of one of their most important protagonists.” ― Foreword Published On: 2011-05-05

“Michnik’s book is . . . a balanced and insightful treatment of the lessons of history and the notions of power and politics. It is a well-written, erudite work that deserves to be read and reflected upon.” -- Joseph Sampson ― Law Society Journal Published On: 2012-05-01

“Serious inquiry supports civility in public life, inquisition damages it, and whatever reservations some might have about his positions on particular issues, these essays show Michnik to be very much a mainstay of that civility.” -- Walter D. Connor ― First Things Published On: 2012-02-01

From the Inside Flap

In this series of vibrant, far-reaching essays, the inimitable and indispensable Adam Michnik, leading activist and intellectual progenitor of the Solidarity movement, turns his attention to the post-Communist era. Combining personal reminiscence, deep historical learning and polemics in a style that is all his own, he widens his scope to examine issues that have afflicted not only Eastern Europe but the world since the fall of Communism: the rise of right-wing gutter politics, the impact of neo-liberal economics, the new temptations of authoritarianism even as freedom has won an historic victory.

Jonathan Schell, author of The Seventh Decade: The New Shape of Nuclear Danger

Yet another collection of brilliant essays by Adam Michnik, which shows again how an intellectual deeply engaged in politics can at the same time be a profound thinker.

Jan T. Gross, author of Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland

Lionized and celebrated by many, attacked and besmirched by some, Adam Michnik is a major public intellectual, a passionately lucid interpreter of post-communist ideological and political debates, a moral (not moralistic) thinker, and a courageous polemicist. As a dissident, he did not waver in defying the totalitarian system. After 1989, he has remained loyal to his values: trust, truth, tolerance. In this book he responds to his opponents, adamantly defending his choices and ideals. One may agree or disagree with Michnik, but one cannot but recognize his frankness, honesty and unswerving commitment to liberal values.

Vladimir Tismaneanu, author of Stalinism for All Seasons: A Political

History of Romanian Communism

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of California Press; First Edition (May 23, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 248 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0520269233
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0520269231
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,790,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #581 in Welsh History
- #8,360 in Russian History (Books)
- #18,877 in Cultural Anthropology (Books)

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Mariusz Ozminkowski

another important book from Adam Michnik

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2011

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I will not hide that I am writing from a position of a person who has been influenced by Adam Michnik, his political thought and action back in the 1970s, and his writings throughout the years, and I am still impressed by him today. What's more, I appreciate his ideas today even more than in the past. But it must be said that the essays in the book may not impress an American reader, especially one who is not that familiar with the transformation of Poland and Eastern Europe. Often they talk about matters that are very specific to that part of the world. But if the reader manages to get around confusing names and events (a glossary is there to help), an interesting picture of ideological, political, and moral dilemmas emerges. What Adam Michnik does is not simply presenting his views but showing how complex and complicated matters were and still are. True, he is passionate about his own position (to the point of exaggerating the problems), but his point is not "I'm right," but rather that the problem is with people who always think they are right. This reminds me of the quote in Czeslaw Milosz's book "The Captive Mind:" "When someone is honestly 55% right, that's very good, and there is no wrangling. And if someone is 60% right, it's wonderful, it's great luck, and let him thank God.... But what about 100% right? Whoever says he's 100% right is a fanatic, a thug, and the worst kind of rascal." So, the book is not just about Poland, Hungary, and the transformation from communism to liberal democracies, but about problems that could be as much American as they are Eastern European.

An excellent review of the book can be found in The Economist, June 18th, 2011 at [...]

9 people found this helpful

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dannebrog

Worth the read.

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2015

Verified Purchase

Good perspective. A must for anyone interested in Russian/eastern european history.

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Tom

Some bumps on the road to Poland's transformation

Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2011

This book contains ten interesting articles written by Adam Michnik, previously published in Poland's leading daily newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza. All of the articles deal with Poland's experiences as a new democracy after the defeat of communism. As Michnik explains, parts of the transformation have been remarkable and awe-inspiring while others have been embarrassing and reproachable as would be expected. Michnik has plenty to say about the traditionalist Polish Right with its links to the nationalist Endecja. He is particularly critical of the populist Kaczynski regime which governed Poland from 2005 to 2007. The Kaczynskis made the lustration of those suspected of being SB informers its raison d'etre, much to the detriment of the national spirit. There are also two chapters devoted to the Kielce pogrom of 1946 and the Jedwabne pogrom of 1941. Michnik's conciliatory approach to Polish-Jewish relations is a breath of fresh air compared to the reflexive defensiveness of the Polish and Polish American Right.

The title of this book is a bit misleading because the articles were written for Poles and are mainly about Poland although there are references to other former-Soviet Eastern European nations, most notably in "The Bitter Memory of Budapest: The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Budapest Uprising." Readers will need a pretty good grasp of modern Polish history to follow along.

Adam Michnik, the editor of Gazeta Wyborcza, is quite an interesting character. While his parents and brother were dedicated communists, Michnik was one of the leaders of the 1968 student revolt against the Gomulka government as well as a leader of KOR (Komitet Obrony Robotników) and Solidarity. He has been deservedly honored throughout the world for his participation in the toppling of the Polish Soviet regime. However, the Polish American traditionalist media regularly portrays Michnik as a scoundrel and villain. How could this possibly be? Is it because he is a liberal, or a Jew, or both? What Poland and Polonia need are a thousand more thinkers like Michnik and far fewer traditionalist ideologues like the Kaczynskis, Rydzyk, and the Giertychs.

I enjoyed this book very much. A reader of the Polish American media might assume all Poles are hyper-Catholic, ultra-nationalist reactionaries so it's very refreshing to read moderate and, yes, even liberal Polish opinion in English. I'm disappointed Gazeta Wyborcza stopped translating articles into English back in 2009.

Postscript - 3/21/2012: Polskie Radio reported today that the Michnik family gravesite was once again desecrated with anti-Semitic graffiti. Michnik reported that this was the third act of vandalism at the site in six years. Instances of anti-Semitic desecration of Jewish gravesites are on the rise in Poland.

5 people found this helpful

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Slavomir Zula

Not quite what I expected

Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2011

After reading a book The Ghosts of Europe, which I found excellent, I reached for Adam Michnik's book with expectations of a similar read. The title "The New Eastern Europe" suggests that the book will focus around the issues of today and about the transformations in the former Eastern block countries. Instead the book ventures most of the times into quite distant past, which is of course still relevant today, but not exactly what I expected. The read is often very hard and dry, especially for someone who is not Polish. I learned new things about historical Polish figures such as poets and statesmen. I was expecting to read more of author's words, but the book is mostly compiled of citations of other books or articles. Antisemitism is naturally a very popular subject of our times, but in my opinion the author provides it a little bit too much space. I understand that it is a historical problem of Poland and it was interested to read about the presence of it in the history of the country, but by far this is not the most crushing issue that the countries of Central Europe have to deal with today. I was surprised at the author's views on lustrations and "witchhunting" of today. There were some interesting points being said there. Overall it is a good book to read if you are interested in Polish history but is not nearly as catchy as Anna Porter's book.

4 people found this helpful

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