Until now unknown in Poland, lectures by Ryszard Kapuściński on journalism and social change in the world are to be published shortly by PWN Publishers. The new book was discussed in Lublin during the event Kapuściński Unknown.

The book This Is Not a Job for Cynics. The Five Senses of the Journalist is to appear in March. It will consist of two parts. One is a transcript of workshops that Kapuściński ran for journalists from Latin America in 2000–2002, which he prepared in Spanish. The second is the transcripts of three meetings with Kapuściński in Italy in 1994 and 1999, originally published in Italian under the editorship of the Italian journalist Maria Nadotti.

The writer’s widow, Alicja Kapuścińska, stressed that after her husband’s death his works continue to be published, and she is glad to consent to this in order to keep the memory of Ryszard Kapuściński alive. The new book comes partly from transcripts of his lectures for journalism students, given at the invitation of a foundation created in Latin America by the writer Gabriel García Márquez. After one of his visits Ryszard received from the students transcripts of his lectures in book form, and now, years later, its translation has finally been proposed — said Kapuścińska.

According to Mirosław Ikonowicz, longtime friend of Kapuściński and PAP correspondent, Kapuściński’s reflections contained in the book being prepared — on the changes taking place in the contemporary world, on globalisation, on the division between rich and poor — have retained their relevance. He foresaw certain processes. His razor-sharp analyses of these phenomena grow sharper with the passage of time — Ikonowicz noted.

Kapuściński’s daughter, Rene Maisner, stressed that in his lectures for journalism students, which will be included in the new publication, Kapuściński devoted considerable attention to the role of modern media. In her opinion, they contain deep reflection on the anonymity of media workers.

Today the great media are becoming such great concentrations of anonymity, as far as journalists are concerned. Many programmes are made by dozens of journalists who do not sign with their name and surname, because each one provides a fragment of information. Altogether information is created that is taking on an ever more virtual, rather than real, shape — she said.

She added that the effect of these tendencies is unreliable, erroneous media information and a growing imbalance between what is actually happening in the world and what the media convey.

In the opinion of Marek Miller, author of a volume of conversations with Kapuściński, the work to be published is a book about craft, valuable for people interested in documentary writing. He always said that if journalism were compared to painting, not only the painting matters but also one’s attitude towards painting. Both his books are important, and also what he thinks about this profession — said Miller.

There is a fundamental question for people of art and science: was Ryszard Kapuściński’s work a one-off eruption of extraordinary talent, or did he create a method without which there will be no more non-fiction literature? Reading this book I have the feeling that it is a method — Miller believes.

The meeting in Lublin, organised by the literary-artistic quarterly Akcent published there since 1980, opened a cycle of meetings under the heading Guests of Akcent, at which outstanding creators connected with Lublin through their life or work will be presented.

Ryszard Kapuściński was a co-founder of the Eastern Culture Foundation Akcent (the quarterly’s publisher) and a member of its Programme Council. In Lublin, under the editorship of Bogusław Wróblewski, the first monograph of Kapuściński’s output was prepared, entitled Życie jest z przenikania (PIW 2008).

(PAP)

source: kapuscinski.info