Saturday, May 11, 2023--San Antonio
Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski takes place in Poland during the last years of its communist rule with the Solidarity protest marches occurring and shortages of basic goods increasing causing lines to be necessary for every need for ordinary citizens. It's the story of a group of young college students who are graduating and trying to figure out how their lives should go from that point. Two of the young men are gay and meet during the mandatory 2-weeks of farm work (picking beets for this group) that all students must complete before their degrees will be awarded. One is frustrated with the system and wants to find a way to leave Poland especially when he realizes that he has submitted the best proposal entering a doctoral program but will not be the one chosen because the others have more powerful connections supporting them. The other is working to develop connections with influential friends who can assure that his life in Poland will be better than that of ordinary people. The writing is extraordinary, and it is easy for the reader to become invested in the interests and desires of both young men. I gave the book 4 1/2 stars out of 5.
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