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A review by kamila79
Tańczące niedźwiedzie by Witold Szabłowski
4.0
I first read about the English translation of this book and quickly got the Polish original. In “Tańczące niedźwiedzie” (“Dancing Bears”) Witold Szabłowski gives a glimpse into how various places (not necessarily whole countries) deal with the post-communism transition on a social, economic and political level; in case of Havana it’s more about gauging how ordinary people feel about the future and it is enlightening to read such a wide spectrum of opinions from Cubans.
The first half of the book is devoted to giving (relative) freedom to dancing bears in various parts of Bulgaria. Szabłowski travels to meet former bear keepers and hears their stories: of love and loss, affection and discipline, greed and manipulation. It’s not only an issue of animal abuse but also caring about the welfare of people who often had been bear keepers and entertainers for generations and after bears were taken away from them, are left with nothing. These are the stories provoking a variety of emotions.
The author’s sense of humour is palpable in every story, regardless if it’s about a homeless elderly Polish lady in London, a travel guide organising tours around the places important in the lifestyle of Karadžić in Belgrade, repurposing concrete bunkers built in the times of Hoxha in Tirana or the business acumen of locals working in a Hobbit village in Polish Sierakowo Sławieńskie. People from his stories are creative, entrepreneurial, inventive, with a can-do attitude. The style of writing is extremely entertaining and yet the reality is often grim, and Szabłowski, between the lines, asks vital questions. Can freedom be forced upon people? Can some live better under a more totalitarian regime? Is that Western-style freedom genuine freedom or just an illusion of it? There is a lot to take out from this marvellous reportage. My only wish is that it was longer, a bit more in depth, more informative. I feel that those like me, who have lived through communism and witnessed the times of transformation in Eastern Europe, will be most moved by it. Still, it’s an excellent book for everyone.
The first half of the book is devoted to giving (relative) freedom to dancing bears in various parts of Bulgaria. Szabłowski travels to meet former bear keepers and hears their stories: of love and loss, affection and discipline, greed and manipulation. It’s not only an issue of animal abuse but also caring about the welfare of people who often had been bear keepers and entertainers for generations and after bears were taken away from them, are left with nothing. These are the stories provoking a variety of emotions.
The author’s sense of humour is palpable in every story, regardless if it’s about a homeless elderly Polish lady in London, a travel guide organising tours around the places important in the lifestyle of Karadžić in Belgrade, repurposing concrete bunkers built in the times of Hoxha in Tirana or the business acumen of locals working in a Hobbit village in Polish Sierakowo Sławieńskie. People from his stories are creative, entrepreneurial, inventive, with a can-do attitude. The style of writing is extremely entertaining and yet the reality is often grim, and Szabłowski, between the lines, asks vital questions. Can freedom be forced upon people? Can some live better under a more totalitarian regime? Is that Western-style freedom genuine freedom or just an illusion of it? There is a lot to take out from this marvellous reportage. My only wish is that it was longer, a bit more in depth, more informative. I feel that those like me, who have lived through communism and witnessed the times of transformation in Eastern Europe, will be most moved by it. Still, it’s an excellent book for everyone.