Stone Upon Stone Book

Stone upon stone is an epic saga and vast panorama of rural life and the peasant's view of the world. The main character, country bumpkin Szymek Pietruszka, a cross between a philosopher and chronicler, in a simple though not plebby way spins a story of his own life. And we, readers actually feel as if we were sitting on the threshold of his homestead and before our eyes pass a colorful parade of people and events which he had participated.

Country road, winding and full of holes hich one could go on the fair to the nearby town or to dance to the neighbouring village. And acacias which were growing by it and every summer smelled so stunningly that people walked like a drunk. And the cemetery which, during the war, was a place of six-week battle, and when it finally ended people had to bury their loved ones for the second time. And old verger Franciszek who with the acolytes had to catch starlings, titmice and other birds and let them out on cemetery to restore life and singing to that place again. And grandfather Kacper who forgot where he hid the document granting him the rights to the land, and that could make him a rich man. And grandmother Rozalia who drowned sailing to America and there is not even her grave, but after all it does not matter whether worms eat you in the grave or fish in the sea.

This novel is like a river spilled wide, fed with digressions and secondary threads like streams, and you even not knowing when are swimming caught by its current. Tales flow lazily and we can see Szymek as a guerilla, barber, policeman, wedding official, government worker. We know he loved women and good fun. In fact loved life.

Who knows, maybe living is the eleventh commandment that God forgot to tell us .

In broad flashbacks we learn about his parents, grandparents, neighbours and the changes of the Polish countryside in the first half of the twentieth century. His two brothers fled to the city and Szymek who seemed to be the least predestined to the life on the land, eventually took over the patrimony and care of crippled brother. His family fell apart and so Szymek came up with a seemingly bizarre idea to gather them again by building the family tomb.

Though they say a tomb is a house as well, just for the next life. Whether it's for eternity or not , a person needs a corner to call their own.

Novel, written in form of monologues, woven from memories which gradually, tale upon tale, song upon song creates a vivid and colourful image. Alternately playful, full of simple truths and folk wisdom, then again, serious and reflective.

With that novel Myśliwski in fact created monument to language and paid a homage to the traditional storytelling. Language is rich and exuberant, realistic even naturalistic descriptions mix with broad humour to be broken by lyrical passages or quiet meditation.
Stone upon stone , this unhurried, digressive tale, is like an elegy to passing world and ode to life as well. Because as Szymek used to say he was always more interested in living than in dying.