Końce światów

Ziemowit Szczerek translated Hunter S. Thompson into Polish, and echoes of gonzo journalism return again and again in the nine extensive chapters of this travelogue. Szczerek wanders around countries including Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Ukraine and finally Poland, exploring the nuances of the periphery, the liminal Europe vacillating between East and West. His tone is conversational and breezy, but he is deeply conscious of the intertwined histories of these countries, their political particularities and uneasy present, often complicated by huge diaspora populations. There’s a sweary lightness to his style which does not take away from the depth of his knowledge and seriousness of his thinking.

By practically living in his car and drinking with the locals, Szczerek witnesses up close the convulsions of political, economic and social transformation, as well as multiple, often divergent notions of Europe and identity. His themes are wide-ranging: from armed conflicts in various border regions to the realities of the migrant crisis, from the idea of ‘Slavicness’ to how the social situation is reflected in urban space and architecture. A main line of his inquiry are the two main forces which, in his view, shape Europe – Russia and Germany – and their immense cultural and political influence.

This is street-level reportage, fuelled by the author’s genuine interest in the fluidity of the borderland. The Ends of the Lines will appeal to anyone curious about the societal complexities beyond news headlines.