The book for the meeting is Matka Polka by Anne Applebaum and Paweł Potoroczyn. It is an extensive interview that Applebaum agreed to do with Potoroczyn, a friend she shares many common interests with.

Applebaum is a Pulitzer winning author (for Gulag: a History), who published several books, essays and articles about history and politics of East European countries. The book is the first one where she discusses her life, decisions, political interests and her infatuation with Poland and its people. She married Radek Sikorski, later the Polish Defense Minister and the Minister of foreign Affairs, lives in Poland with her husband and two sons and is a Polish citizen. She also wrote a Polish cookbook.

Applebaum worked for The Economist, The Spectator and was on The Washington Post editorial board. Her newest book is Twilight of Democracy, The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism.

Pawel Potoroczyn has been film & music producer, publisher, and promoter of Polish culture. He has become famous for running the Adam Mickiewicz Institute from 2008 to 2016 and making it a Polish culture powerhouse; among others it publishes the culture.pl site, my favorite reference site.

More: about Anne Applebaum and Paweł Potoroczyn, her personal website, Applebaum’s interview about the book, life and Poland

Please contact Paulina for the Zoom invite or more info