Lviv unread? [Rev. Z. Czajkowska, Literary Topographies of Lviv. Comparative sketches, Katowice: Silesia University Press, 2021, 268 pp.]

Abstract

In this review, Dariusz Piechota examines Zoriana Czajkowska’s book, Literary Topography of Lviv (2021). Czajkowska mentions at the outset that Lviv is a city that fascinates both researchers of Polish and Ukrainian literature and culture. It is a space
where the influences of many cultures intersect, which undoubtedly contributes to the city's multidimensional character. Czajkowska focuses on works written after World War II, particularly memoirs, essays, columns, and journalistic texts. Piechota concludes that Czajkowska failed to capture the multicultural character of Lviv, and her presentation seems one-sided. Nonetheless, Czajkowska's extensive knowledge of Ukrainian literature, as evidenced by her sources, is commendable.