Written with much flair, Maciej Nowak’s tome is an exquisite and extensive monograph on one of the most interesting Polish prose writers of the twentieth century. It is also the first book-length study of Andrzej Bobkowski (1913-1961), a surprising fact given that he died more than five decades ago. The surprise will diminish, however, when we realize how difficult it was for his writings to find their way to the reader.