Szymborska (b. 1923, d. 2012) was a Polish essayist and poet who won the Nobel Prize in 1996 for “poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality”.  Though I’m not completely sure what that means, I’ve read and enjoyed her poetry for years and when I saw this book in the used book section of the Harvard Bookstore, I grabbed it.

This thin volume comprises selections from her anonymous advice column in the Polish journal, ‘Literary Life’.  Writers would send in poems, novels, and even hand-written scribbles on random pieces of paper seeking advice and evaluation by the Literary Life editorial board, and  did they ever receive it.  These responses, most of them five to ten lines, are occasionally glowing and supportive (“Please stay in touch. We hope you’ll keep writing” in response to Jawor in Warsaw.)  Most, however, are major league zingers filled with wit and irony, though occasionally a bit cruel.  Here’s how Symborska responded to Welur from Chelm: “Does the enclosed prose betray talent?  It does.” or to Melissa V. from Krakow: “In this world, everything wears out with daily use—except the rules of grammar.  Feel free to use them more frequently.  They’ll hold up just fine.”  I could go on for sharing many more of these funny and clever responses often making me smile and even laugh out loud.  What a great time she must have had!

The book is illustrated with color collages by the author, and they share the wit and freshness of the prose.  This is a ‘just plain fun’ book and will give the established as well as the novice writer some great advice.