Once Upon a Time in Kazimierz: A love story during the Great Depression in Poland

In the rural village of Zalipie in southeast Poland, during the Great Depression, Marianna, a kind-hearted but naive woman, marries Leon, a musician. Their marriage brings them to the busy district of Krakow, where they meet Stanislaw, who runs a local grocery store. Barbara Pearman's novel explores the lives of the inhabitants of this small row of shops, providing insights into their personal lives, recollections, and wild imaginings.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 28 February 2022
Publisher: Troubador Publishing

The Great Depression began to take a toll on Poland's economy in the 1930s. Naive and kind-hearted Marianna, who resides in the rural village of Zalipie in southeast Poland, dreams of a different life in the city. Her whirlwind romance with Leon, a charismatic but egotistical musician, leads to a hasty marriage, offering her a chance for change.

Leon's father, Stanislaw, operates the local grocery store in Kazimierz, a bustling district of Krakow. The shopkeepers and their families in this close-knit community warmly welcome the couple, but their lives are forever altered by the arrival of the newlywed couple.

Barbara Pearman employs rich descriptive prose to set a series of scenes that offer insights into the diverse cast of characters' personal lives, recollections, and sometimes wild imaginings. These scenes paint a vivid picture of the lives of the inhabitants of this small row of shops and their complex relationships with each other.

Weight: 418g
Dimension: 129 x 197 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781803130514