- School & Library Binding: 234 pages
- Publisher: Econo-Clad Books, Div. of American Cos., Inc.; New title edition (Oct 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0613180755
- ISBN-13: 978-0613180757
- Product Dimensions: 20.3 x 14 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,112,905 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
A harrowing story that follows the wanderings of a boy abandoned by his parents during World War II, this classic novel, originally published in 1965, is a dark masterpiece that examines the proximity of terror and savagery to innocence and love. It is the first, and the most famous, novel by one of the most important and original writers of this century.
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First Sentence
"I lived in Marta's hut, expecting my parents to come for me any day, any hour." Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
"I lived in Marta's hut, expecting my parents to come for me any day, any hour." Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Kosinski's celebrated book `The Painted Bird' has been the cause of much controversy since its original publication in 1965. The story is one of the isolation and abandonment of an un-named child. The narrative, written in the first person, takes place in an unspecified Eastern European country or countries during the Second World War. Kosinski takes this combination of circumstances to tell a story of the utmost brutality and cruelty.
And this story is brutal and cruel indeed. Through the eyes of this abandoned child are portrayed events such as murder, rape, dismemberment, torture and bestiality. The child himself is repeatedly beaten, tortured, starved, tormented and thrown in a pit of excrement. Psychologically it is no surprise that his view of the world is confused and he looses his ability to speak. Kosinski backdrops these events with detailed accounts of the magic and folklore of the peasants that occupy the various areas in which the story takes place.
Politically, Kosinski has been criticised for his portrayal of the Red Army and the positive effects that Soviet philosophy has on his child hero. The book is however, I feel, more a survival chronicle of an individual who is fighting against huge odds. If the reader combines this novel with Slawomir Rawisz `The Long Walk' it will at least go some way to balance the portrayal of the Soviet Union in this period, as another individual fights for his unlikely survival.
The protagonists of both books survive however, and it is within this framework that they should ultimately be seen. The importance of stories such as these is that whilst the details are harrowing and as brutal as anything that you might have ever read, the ending is one of an ultimately uplifting nature.
And this story is brutal and cruel indeed. Through the eyes of this abandoned child are portrayed events such as murder, rape, dismemberment, torture and bestiality. The child himself is repeatedly beaten, tortured, starved, tormented and thrown in a pit of excrement. Psychologically it is no surprise that his view of the world is confused and he looses his ability to speak. Kosinski backdrops these events with detailed accounts of the magic and folklore of the peasants that occupy the various areas in which the story takes place.
Politically, Kosinski has been criticised for his portrayal of the Red Army and the positive effects that Soviet philosophy has on his child hero. The book is however, I feel, more a survival chronicle of an individual who is fighting against huge odds. If the reader combines this novel with Slawomir Rawisz `The Long Walk' it will at least go some way to balance the portrayal of the Soviet Union in this period, as another individual fights for his unlikely survival.
The protagonists of both books survive however, and it is within this framework that they should ultimately be seen. The importance of stories such as these is that whilst the details are harrowing and as brutal as anything that you might have ever read, the ending is one of an ultimately uplifting nature.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This savagery is beautiful and compelling, twisting humanity on numbingly broken limbs. This is not a pleasant read but treads on the senses defining a defiled life but not breaking the soul. Not many novels will be able to lay claim to haunting minds eternally, this however is one that can.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I haven't read a book so explicitly defining the war and how it effects the people. Kosinsky is brilliant with his use of words and descriptions, it feels as though you are watching a movie. I think it shows all the ugly and brutal sides of war, most which we'd rather not see, and how it affects human psychology but at times gets rather sickly.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
minor classic on WWII
If ever you thought there wre limits to human cruelty and depravity, all you need do is read this book. It is the closest thing to a tour of hell that the 20C could provide. Read more
Published 12 months ago by rob crawford
Powerful
I couldn't decide whether to give this book 1 star, or 5 stars. The images this book conjured up still haunt me. Read more
Published 14 months ago by spange17
`Was such a destitute, cruel world worth ruling?'
`The Painted Bird' was first published by Jerzy Kosiñski in 1965, and revised in 1976. It is a fictional account of the personal experiences of a boy aged six who could be... Read more
Published 21 months ago by J. Cameron-Smith
Clipped but eternally singing
Deeply controversial book by Konsinski. Since the Berlin Wall collapse the Polish population queued to read creating reverberations for Jerry. Read more
Published on 30 May 2010 by Dr. Delvis Memphistopheles
A classic
I got this for my mother. Started reading it, but not so keen on the style and didn't finish it.
Published on 19 Sep 2009 by S. Highfield
Heart of Darkness Redux
My byline refers not only to the fact that both Conrad and Kosinski were Polish authors writing in English. Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2002 by Bruce Kendall
A chilling, graphic testament of the cruelty of man
When The Painted Bird was first released its author was hounded on one side by fellow Poles criticising him for playing down the atrocities and on the other side by governments and... Read more
Published on 11 April 2000 by Amarante
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