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A groundbreaking new translation of the only historical novel by noted Polish writer Bolesław Prus.
“ . . . unique in world literature of the nineteenth century”--Czesław Miłosz
" . . . one of the finest novels about the ancient world ever written." --The Polish Review
Imbued with poetry, leavened with humor, and
graced with moments of transcendent beauty, Pharaoh offers a compelling
picture of life at every level of ancient Egyptian society. As the story unfolds, Egypt is experiencing
internal stresses and external threats that will culminate in the fall of its
Twentieth Dynasty and New Kingdom. The young Pharaoh Ramses learns that
challenging power leaves him vulnerable to seduction, defamation, intimidation
and even assassination. The ultimate lesson learned by Ramses is the power of
knowledge.
Prus is a distinctive voice in world literature and was Joseph Conrad’s favorite Polish writer. This new edition of Christopher Kasparek’s translation of Pharaoh vividly brings this extraordinary novel to life. It includes a detailed foreword and annotations, based on extensive research and textual refinements, that will enhance the reader’s appreciation not only for ancient Egypt, but also for Prus’ composition process.
Pharaoh has been translated into twenty-three languages and was adapted as a 1966 Polish feature film.
"By masterfully reconstructing long-ago Egyptian culture in all its characteristics and striking features, Prus combined his historical knowledge with his sociological interests to create one of the finest novels about the ancient world ever written, offering readers his deeply researched depiction of a bygone Egypt, a novel that surpasses historical fiction to become the author’s reflection on power and politics.
Prus’s novel Pharaoh remains as relevant today as when it was first published; it constitutes a testimony to Prus’s vision and talent as both historian and novelist. [This] exquisite 2024 English translation by Christopher Kasparek . . . flows effectively and conveys all the nuances.
Kasparek’s foreword offers significant biographical information about Prus as well as the translator’s comparative research on the novel, making this edition even more valuable and noteworthy for readers."
--Anna Gasienica-Byrcyn, The Polish Review