Literary Conversation on Small Town Books Series: Political Murders in Postwar Poland p2

In this episode join literary critic Jaroslaw Anders and writer Malgorzata Pospiech as they explore and examine psychology, power, and moral choice under totalitarian systems — through history, culture, and fiction based on Small Town series, a political and psychological thrillers set in post-war Poland. Drawing on real historical events, the series portrays a small town under a totalitarian regime, where oppression, civil conflict, and underground resistance collide.
The discussion delves into the books’ intricate structure, shifting perspectives, and the interplay between memory and dreamlike sequences. Anders and Pospiech show how the series not only captures the tense realities of authoritarian control but also probes the psychological and moral struggles of those living under it—blending history, politics, and human resilience in a gripping literary experience.
Jaroslaw Anders is the author of Between Fire and Sleep: Essays on Modern Polish Poetry and Prose (Yale: Yale University Press, 2009) and numerous reviews and literary essays in The New York Review of Books, The New Republic, the Los Angeles Times Book Review, Liberties, and other publications. He has translated several books from English into Polish and from Polish into English. In the past, he served as an editor in Literatura na świecie (Literature in the World) review, feature writer and broadcaster for the Voice of America, and policy officer in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State. Born in Warsaw, he currently lives in the United States.

Small Town by Malgorzata Pospiech beautifully translated from the Polish by Longia Milosz Miller, with stunning illustrations by William Miller, text read byJaroslaw Anders
Set in the aftermath of WWII Poland and inspired by events that took place in the author’s childhood hometown, this psychological thriller traces the tragic legacy of October 1945, when—in brutal act of retaliation for the assassination of two Secret Police agents—eight innocent townspeople were brutally murdered- a trauma that echoes across generations.
At the heart of the story is deeply moving a daughter’s search for the father she never knew and the truth about the traumatic events he witnessed. The reader is also drawn into the life of Nora, the author’s passionate and headstrong alter ego, as she navigates love, family, and identity —from her childhood in 1960s–70s Poland to her years as a writer in New York.
From the haunted streets of a small Polish town to the vibrant literary circles of New York, Small Town explores themes of memory, silence, identity, and resilience.
Blending historical fiction, family saga with emotional depth, political thriller and semi-autobiographical narrative, this novel is a must-read for fans of post-WWII stories, Polish history, and literary fiction rooted in truth an is a moving exploration of memory, silence, and resilience—and the first installment in an unforgettable literary journey.

Photo: William Miller


Copyright © 2025 by Malgorzata Pospiech

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illustrations by William Miller