Stubborn Life
Hardship and Hope in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Poland
by Franceska Michalska
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Pub Date Nov 05 2024 | Archive Date Nov 05 2024
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Description
The end of the 1920s, the author’s first memory: a knock on the door and the arrest of her uncle, guilty of “anti-Soviet activities.” He is to be executed. Born in 1923, a dozen or so kilometers from the pre-war Polish-Soviet border, Franceska Michalska is a citizen of occupied Ukraine. Her family, finding a nest of eggs to eat, miraculously survive the great famine of 1931–32 before falling victim to growing Stalinist terror and the mass deportation of Poles from the region to Kazakhstan. All the while, Franceska dreams of studying medicine. 8,000 km and infinite difficulties later, she enters Poland and becomes a doctor, finally obtaining the Polish nationality she never had. Writing in a heartfelt yet matter-of-fact style, Michalska brilliantly evokes daily life under Russian occupation. Now more than ever, this memoir reads like a warning against history repeating, while at the same time offering a testament to human strength and to hope.
Advance Praise
“Rarely do people write about such great tragedies as calmly as Michalska does—without complaint, without blame. The dispassionate style of the narrative strengthens the impact of the description. This is a story about the will to survive, and about the joy that comes from that survival. Awe-inspiring—I read this incredible recollection in one breath.” —Granice
“A sober hymn to tenacity and courage. This determined woman tells her story in a neutral tone, without pathos, without bitterness, without incriminating or nationalist reproaches. Despite everything, solidarity, dedication, and kindness persist.” —Les Notes
“What a story! Stubborn Life is both a glimpse into all the complexities and cruelties of the Soviet twentieth century, and a sober and powerful account of a life marked as much by the determination to move forward as by ‘the memory of all those (…) who stayed there forever.’” —Passage à l’Est
Marketing Plan
- Tie-in placement in media coverage of current war in Ukraine
- Appeals to readers interested in the Ukraine, history, medical biography, inspiring stories of female empowerment and of resilience
- Advance galleys and digital reader copies
- National TV, radio, print, and online review campaign
- Consumer-facing national advertising campaign on Shelf Awareness, Lithub, NPR, Foreword Reviews, Goodreads
- Book club discussion guide
- Bookstore co-op available
- Excerpt placement
- Social-media campaign & Goodreads Giveaway
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781642861525 |
| PRICE | $19.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 200 |
