Ryszard Kapuściński

Pisarz · Reporter · Poeta 1932–2007 Kim był? Od czego zacząć? Oś czasu

Books by Ryszard Kapuściński

Ryszard Kapuściński (1932–2007) was an outstanding Polish reporter, writer, and poet. For many years he served as a foreign correspondent for the Polish Press Agency (PAP), travelling the world and documenting the most important events of the 20th century.

Below you will find information about the most significant books from his rich literary output.

1962
The Polish Bush

Ryszard Kapuściński's debut book — reportages from Poland painting a portrait of the country in the communist era.

1963
Black Stars

Reportages and essays by Ryszard Kapuściński about the struggle for freedom, dignity, and human resilience in the face of tyranny.

1968
A Kirghiz Dismounts

Ryszard Kapuściński's reportages from Central Asia and the Caucasus — a record of the collision between tradition and Soviet modernisation in the 1960s.

1969
Che Guevara — The Bolivian Diary

The authentic diary of Che Guevara from his Bolivian campaign, documenting the revolutionary struggle and the final days of a 20th-century legend.

1969
If the Whole of Africa...

A collection of essays by Ryszard Kapuściński on the complexity of Africa: colonialism, independence, poverty, and the identity of the continent.

1970
Why Did Karl von Spreti Die?

Kapuściński's reportage on the kidnapping of the German ambassador reveals the political terrorism and geopolitical tensions of Latin America.

1975
Christ with a Rifle on His Shoulder

Kapuściński describes his encounters with priests involved in liberation movements in Latin America, uncovering the tensions between faith and political action.

1976
Another Day of Life

Ryszard Kapuściński's reportage from Angola 1975 — the only Western reporter who remained in Luanda until the last day of Portuguese colonialism.

1978
The Emperor

Ryszard Kapuściński's literary reportage about the court of the Emperor of Ethiopia — an analysis of the mechanisms of despotic power and the final years of Haile Selassie I.

1978
The Soccer War

Discover how sport became a field of political conflict. Kapuściński's reportage on the absurd Football War between El Salvador and Honduras.

1982
Shah of Shahs

Kapuściński's reportage on the Iranian Islamic Revolution and the fall of the Shah — an analysis of the mechanisms of social revolution and authoritarianism, 1978–1979.

1986
Notes

Private notes and reflections by Ryszard Kapuściński from his travels around the world — personal impressions, cultural observations, and aphorisms.

1988
The World in Motion

Reportages by Ryszard Kapuściński depicting the transformative political and social changes of the world — revolutions, decolonisation, and the counterculture of the 1960s.

1992
Lapidarium

Ryszard Kapuściński's aphorisms from Lapidarium — a collection of wise thoughts on time, human nature, and observations about the world.

1993
Imperium

Kapuściński's monumental reportage about the USSR — travels through the empire, the collapse of the system, and life under communism from the 1950s to 1991.

1996
Lapidarium II

A collection of aphorisms by Ryszard Kapuściński on life, death, politics, and love — gems of wisdom from the author's notes and diary.

1997
Lapidarium III

The third volume of Ryszard Kapuściński's reflections on old age, wisdom, and responsibility — a lapidary collection of thoughts from the writer's later years.

1998
The Shadow of the Sun

A collection of reportages by Ryszard Kapuściński about Africa. Fascinating stories about the continent's cultures, people, and history.

2000
From Africa

Ryszard Kapuściński's reportages about Africa — the continent's landscapes, traditions, and conflicts seen through the eyes of a great journalist.

2000
Lapidarium IV

Ryszard Kapuściński's aphorisms and reflections from the turn of the 1980s and 90s — on the collapse of the old order, solidarity, and the reporter's word.

2002
Lapidarium V

The fifth volume of Ryszard Kapuściński's lapidary reflections — notes on the metamorphoses of the world, the human condition, and the art of observation.

2003
A Portrait of the Reporter

Ryszard Kapuściński's reflections on the ethics of journalism, the role of the reporter in a democracy, and the responsibility that comes with words.

2004
Travels with Herodotus

Ryszard Kapuściński's last major book — combining reportage with reflection on Herodotus as a guide through the world and its many cultures.

2006
The Laws of Nature

Kapuściński on ecological threats: the destruction of the environment, the consequences of industrialisation, and the loss of biodiversity — an early diagnosis of today's challenges.

2006
The Other

Ryszard Kapuściński's philosophical reflection on the possibility of understanding cultural differences, empathy, and tolerance in a divided world.

2007
Lapidarium VI

The final volume of Ryszard Kapuściński's aphorisms — his intellectual testament, containing reflections on life, death, and the spiritual legacy he leaves behind.

2013
This Is Not a Job for Cynics

Ryszard Kapuściński's appeal to journalists to uphold ethical standards and humanitarian commitment, rejecting cynicism in the profession.

source: kapuscinski.info