“The People’s History of Poland” from the Author’s Perspective: What It Is All about

Abstract

In the beginning let me express my deepest gratitude to the editors of Praktyka Teoretyczna for this seminar. I am also grateful to the five extraordinary scholars who have found time in their busy schedules to write a review of my book. It is an honor for the author. I also beg for forgiveness for not replying to all the critical opinions and inspiring thoughts I found in the reviews. I will try to address at least some of them. However, I think that a general commentary from the author of Ludowa historia Polski (“The People’s History of Poland”) about the purpose of the book and the way it was constructed may be more interesting to many readers. I will try then to describe briefly why this book was written and to explain my approach to the subject, including its problematic moments and its limitations – at least the ones I am aware of.