'An idyll of immense charm ... a masterpiece' John Bayley, The New York Review of Books
'Thomas was born in the village of Gine at that time of year when a ripe apple thumps to the ground during an afternoon lull.' So a boy's life begins in a winding river valley on the Polish-Russian border where time is measured by seasonal rhythms and ancient songs. For Thomas, the ghosts in the forest are as real as the magical water-snakes that live in the Issa; in the village he is entranced by the women with their cinched waists and the men in their long boots. But when he is shown a map, he discovers a kingdom all his own and starts to dream of leaving the valley behind.
| ISBN: | 9780241773925 |
| Publication date: | 14th May 2026 |
| Author: | Czeslaw Milosz |
| Publisher: | Penguin Classics an imprint of Penguin Books Ltd |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 304 pages |
| Series: | Penguin Modern Classics |
| Genres: |
Modern and Contemporary Fiction Narrative theme: Coming of age Narrative theme: Sense of place Fiction in translation Biographical fiction / autobiographical fiction |
'An idyll of immense charm ... a masterpiece' John Bayley, The New York Review of Books
'Thomas was born in the village of Gine at that time of year when a ripe apple thumps to the ground during an afternoon lull.' So a boy's life begins in a winding river valley on the Polish-Russian border where time is measured by seasonal rhythms and ancient songs. For Thomas, the ghosts in the forest are as real as the magical water-snakes that live in the Issa; in the village he is entranced by the women with their cinched waists and the men in their long boots. But when he is shown a map, he discovers a kingdom all his own and starts to dream of leaving the valley behind.
The Issa Valley features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Fiction in translation, Biographical fiction / autobiographical fiction
The Issa Valley is available in Paperback
The Issa Valley was written by Czeslaw Milosz and published by Penguin Classics an imprint of Penguin Books Ltd
The Issa Valley has 304 pages
Yes it is part of Penguin Modern Classics series
£9.89