Publisher's Synopsis
SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDEPENDENT FOREIGN FICTION PRIZE In the Polish city of Gdansk, our narrator Pawel tells of the driving lessons he took in the early 1990s, shortly after the end of communism. As he struggled with the tiny Fiat?s gearbox, causing chaos while stalled at a crossroads, Pawel entertained his instructor ? the lovely Miss Ciwle ? with stories of his grandparents? and parents? lives. Through these tender stories we hear of one family?s obsession with classic cars ? in particular Mercedes-Benz ? the outings, the races, the crashes and the inevitable repairs. Based on fact and illustrated with personal photographs, these tales contrast the golden era of Poland?s pre-war independence with the dismal communist years, and with the uncertain new chapter in the country?s history that had only just begun when Pawel was learning to drive. With elegant brilliance, Huelle creates a touching portrait of three generations amid life-changing historical events.
