A new book examining the history of Poland has been the subject of discussion on Latvian Radio. The program Šīs dienas acīm featured a conversation about Norman Davies’s book, “Dieva spēļlaukums: Polijas vēsture” (God’s Playground: A History of Poland). Historian Edvards Seliška, a faculty member at the University of Latvia’s Faculty of Humanities, discussed the publication.

Davies is a well-known author to Latvian readers, having previously published “European History,” a substantial work in both content and physical size. Seliška noted Davies’s approach to history, stating that he “tries to bring the historical process to a popular understanding” and “likes to use vivid metaphors when describing historical processes.” This is reflected in the book’s title, which, although not originally coined by Davies, was found in Polish historical annals.

“But it cannot be denied that Norman Davies really knows how to extract significant historical consequences, historical causal relationships,” Seliška said. The work is considered fundamental and the first part, covering events up to 1795 – the Third Partition of Poland – has recently been released. This marked the end of Poland’s existence as an independent nation at that time.

Before delving into the extensive research, Seliška provided context on the course of Polish history leading up to this dramatic turning point in the late 18th century.

“Dieva spēļlaukums. 1. Daļa” (God’s Playground. Part 1) was published by the Jumava publishing house.