Background

Henryk Sienkewicz grew up within a revolutionary family in Poland in the middle of the 19th Century, and learned how to match his father’s political beliefs with his mother’s passion for history. He spent a lot of time in the library, but this curiosity did not translate to a love of school. He left college early to write full time. After successful short stories, he started writing about his experience traveling the world (including into the United States, a rarity for the time).

After returning to Poland and starting a family, he started writing full length novels including a historical trilogy about life in Poland a hundred years before (creatively titled: The Trilogy), but his most popular and enduring work came ten years before his Nobel with the book Quo Vadis. His talents were so impressive, that he won the Nobel for, simply put “his outstanding merits as an epic writer”. As if that wasn’t enough, the people in Poland took up a collection to buy his family’s old castle for him.

Works

““It seemed that out of every tear of a martyr new confessors were born, and that every groan on the arena found an echo in thousands of breasts. Caesar was swimming in blood, Rome and the whole pagan world was mad.”
—Quo Vadis (all of these are from Quo Vadis)

“Why does crime, even when as powerful as Cæsar, and assured of being beyond punishment, strive always for the appearances of truth, justice, and virtue? Why does it take the trouble?”
—Insert trenchant current event observation here

“For when a man is in a book-shop, curiosity seizes him to look here and there.”
—This may also serve as my life’s motto

“A home without a book is darker than one without a lamp.”

Message

Having read that most popular novel, one that captures the conflict between a brutal Roman Empire and the fledging Christian church, I was shocked at how much a 130 year old Polish man captured my sense of faith. Above all, faith requires just that: faith. There has never been and never will be an easy answer for those confronting the conflict between ideals and life. Simply appreciating that struggle both around and inside you is worthwhile.

Position: #5 Center Back

Sienkewicz is probably my favorite century old writer that I’ve come across, and while his books really are epic sized, his style is wonderfully simple and direct, with just the expected touch of violence. As such, he seems to me like a no-nonsense, efficient defender, and one who could be mature and kind hearted enough to be team captain like Michael Boxall is.

Here’s my traditional request for you to engage with this blog beyond clicking the like button. Have you read the author? Do you love soccer? Any and all comments welcomed!

Next Time: Special Bonus Laureate!! 1905 Peace Honoree Bertha Von Suttner

(The only non literature laureate who was given their award specifically for writing a book)