Polish presidential couple to read author Żeromski at annual readathon

The presidential couple, along with Deputy Prime Minister and Culture Minister Piotr Gliński, actors and other public figures, are to read out excerpts from the early 20th-century classic at Warsaw’s Saski Garden, public broadcaster Polish Radio has reported.

The novel, first published in Polish in 1925, has been translated into English alternatively as Seedtime, First Spring, Before the Spring, Early Spring, Springtime, or The Spring to Come. It was published in the United States as The Coming Spring in 2007.

The annual readathon, designed to encourage Poles to read books, will be held in cities across Poland and abroad.

Last year, over 2,000 Polish towns and cities participated in the initiative, which was also held in 26 countries around the world, including Japan, Australia and Mexico, private broadcaster Radio Zet reported.

According to the National Library, 38 percent of Poles read at least one book in 2017 whereas nine percent read seven publications or more.

(aba/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP