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jxmrab's review against another edition
4.0
Adam Zagajewski’s poetic manifesto is a journey through Poland and the life of an artist. Considering Another Beauty is Zagajewski’s only memoir, I am very impressed. Being able to weave place writing, poetry, anecdotes, quotes, research and historical context, and so much conversational writing. This book is meant to not only educate the reader but also entertain and include the reader. This guy knows what he’s talking about. I trust him. Good writing knows no language barrier, and Adam Zagajewski and Clare Cavanaugh know this.
What an interesting memoir. My professor was right, it is very oddly structured. There are moments when reading this that I am just completely enveloped in the Zagajewski’s mind, and then other times I am like “Are you just trying to reach a word count here?” Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy this book, but its structure is unique in a way that reminds me of a Twitter feed: random anecdotes, quotes, and references only specific people will get/understand/relate to. My poor book... This poor, poor book is drowning in highlights and little sticky flags. The writing in certain parts is brilliant. I’m not sure if this is to credit the translator or Zagajewski, but either way, kudos to both.
Reading this feels like I am sitting down on a hardwood floor while Zagajewski, senile and smiling, is sitting in a wooden rocking chair, a blanket covering his lower body while telling me all these little tidbits about his life and the world around him as if time didn’t exactly exist. He writes in fluid moments, not time stamps. It’s frustrating at times, especially with it not being a linear structure, but he's just so charming and witty that you can't help but watch him rock in his little chair and listen. The way he introduces and then eventually discards characters is very alarming, but effective. People come and go and sometimes serve a very minimal purpose in the long-term recollection of our lives.
The structure of the book, though off-putting at first, is incredibly efficient and easy to follow. It’s a commitment not to know when to stop. It's a commitment to trust the writer not to exhaust us or lead us on the wrong path unintentionally. Another Beauty does not disappoint.
What an interesting memoir. My professor was right, it is very oddly structured. There are moments when reading this that I am just completely enveloped in the Zagajewski’s mind, and then other times I am like “Are you just trying to reach a word count here?” Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy this book, but its structure is unique in a way that reminds me of a Twitter feed: random anecdotes, quotes, and references only specific people will get/understand/relate to. My poor book... This poor, poor book is drowning in highlights and little sticky flags. The writing in certain parts is brilliant. I’m not sure if this is to credit the translator or Zagajewski, but either way, kudos to both.
Reading this feels like I am sitting down on a hardwood floor while Zagajewski, senile and smiling, is sitting in a wooden rocking chair, a blanket covering his lower body while telling me all these little tidbits about his life and the world around him as if time didn’t exactly exist. He writes in fluid moments, not time stamps. It’s frustrating at times, especially with it not being a linear structure, but he's just so charming and witty that you can't help but watch him rock in his little chair and listen. The way he introduces and then eventually discards characters is very alarming, but effective. People come and go and sometimes serve a very minimal purpose in the long-term recollection of our lives.
The structure of the book, though off-putting at first, is incredibly efficient and easy to follow. It’s a commitment not to know when to stop. It's a commitment to trust the writer not to exhaust us or lead us on the wrong path unintentionally. Another Beauty does not disappoint.
sarapalooza's review against another edition
4.0
Zagajewski’s poems are wonderful - so wonderful, it is easy to ignore the essays and collections of thoughts, but wow - are they marvelous. They shine brightly, gently. Aware of the harsh aspects of reality, but still celebrating the beauty and magic.
alana_margaret's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing prose written by a poet, insights on every aspect of life. One of my new favorites.
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