Published by Terra Librorum, 2022
The Map by Barbara Sadurska, translated by Kate Webster, is a captivating literary debut comprising seven interconnected stories, all linked by a mysterious 15th-century map. This map traverses centuries and continents, influencing the lives of diverse characters—from medieval cartographers to modern-day individuals—highlighting humanity’s unchanging nature and the cyclical patterns of history. Sadurska’s non-linear narrative structure weaves together themes of memory, identity, and the darker aspects of human behavior, inviting readers to piece together the puzzle-like narrative. The prose is both lyrical and precise, drawing comparisons to the works of W.G. Sebald and Olga Tokarczuk. The Map has been recognised for its literary merit, winning the Witold Gombrowicz Prize in 2020 and being shortlisted for the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize in 2023. Published by Terra Librorum in 2022, this work stands as a significant contribution to contemporary Polish literature, offering readers a profound exploration of the human condition through the lens of a singular, enigmatic artifact.
Read the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize judges’ citation here.
The Map is available to purchase here.