Product Description
Named one of the Best Books of 1999 by the Los Angeles Times, The Pianist is now a major motion picture directed by Roman Polanski and starring Adrien Brody (Son of Sam). The Pianist won the Cannes Film Festival’s most prestigious prize—the Palme d’Or.

On September 23, 1939, Wladyslaw Szpilman played Chopin’s Nocturne in C-sharp minor live on the radio as shells exploded outside—so loudly that he couldn’t hear his piano. It was the last live music broadcast from Warsaw: That day, a German bomb hit the station, and Polish Radio went off the air.

Though he lost his entire family, Szpilman survived in hiding. In the end, his life was saved by a German officer who heard him play the same Chopin Nocturne on a piano found among the rubble. Written immediately after the war and suppressed for decades, The Pianist is a stunning testament to human endurance and the redemptive power of fellow feeling.
Amazon.com Review
Written immediately after the end of World War II, this morally complex Holocaust memoir is notable for its exact depiction of the grim details of life in Warsaw under the Nazi occupation. "Things you hardly noticed before took on enormous significance: a comfortable, solid armchair, the soothing look of a white-tiled stove," writes Wladyslaw Szpilman, a pianist for Polish radio when the Germans invaded. His mother's insistence on laying the table with clean linen for their midday meal, even as conditions for Jews worsened daily, makes palpable the Holocaust's abstract horror. Arbitrarily removed from the transport that took his family to certain death, Szpilman does not deny the "animal fear" that led him to seize this chance for escape, nor does he cheapen his emotions by belaboring them. Yet his cool prose contains plenty of biting rage, mostly buried in scathing asides (a Jewish doctor spared consignment to "the most wonderful of all gas chambers," for example). Szpilman found compassion in unlikely people, including a German officer who brought food and warm clothing to his hiding place during the war's last days. Extracts from the officer's wartime diary (added to this new edition), with their expressions of outrage at his fellow soldiers' behavior, remind us to be wary of general condemnation of any group. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Customer Reviews (113)

Excellent Book
I bought the book because I wanted to better understand the story after seeing the DVD; after reading it, I congratulate the screenwriters.Being raised by a musician, I have very tender feelings for the story of a musician in hiding.I did not see it in the theater; had I, I think I would have stood in applause when he completed his first performance before the German soldier.Very moving!Reading it after having seen it was not a let-down, since there is so much in there that couldn't be filmed.Great book, great film, great man.

Speechless
It's hard to know what to write about this book as it is a story of survival that leaves one speechless. Like many I read the book after seeing the movie twice. It is an amazing testament to man's will to survive.

AP World History Review: An incredible story of survival
I was very impressed with this book.I hadn't read many other books about the Holocaust, and did not know what to expect.I was definitely not expecting this.Szpilman spares no detail when giving account of his survival through Nazi-occupied Warsaw.He tells of terrible "human hunting", starvation, and the hardships of life in a Jewish ghetto, and comes close to death several times throughout the five years Warsaw was occupied by the Germans.

This book is unique in that Szpilman showed there was good and evil on both sides, the Jews and the Germans.Typically when we think of the Holocaust, we view the Germans as evil, and the Jews as the good guys.However, this book challenged traditional thinking.It showed that there was evil on the Jewish side: to save their own lives, many Jews joined the "Jewish Council" and the "Jewish Police" - both groups assisted the Germans in rounding up Jews for concentration camps, and both joined the Germans in abusing and killing other Jews.

On the other hand, this book also showed that there were good people in the German army.Hosenfeld, a German officer, discovered Szpilman hiding in an abandoned building.Rather than turn him in, Hosenfeld hid Szpilman in the attic, and smuggled him food, water, newspapers, and a coat.Hosenfeld says, in his dairy, that "these brutes (the Germans) think we shall win the war.But we have lost the war with this appalling mass murder of the Jews."It is later discovered that Hosenfeld saved not only Szpilman, but a handful of others.

If you enjoy history or adventure, this book is a must-read.I would definitely recommend this book to everybody.

A Remarkable Book
The story of this man's life is truly remarkable. He makes history come alive. His word pictures are so realistic you will almost live it yourself.

Angst and Redemption of a Pianist in Nazi Poland
This is the unbelievable true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, who lived in Poland during the Nazi occupation and subsequent annihilation of its Jewish population. His survival amidst incredible brutality and cruelty is an astounding story, told with the objectivity and impassiveness of one determined to survive. I could not put this book down, and was very moved by this story of one man's determination to live amidst Nazi murder and mayhem. It illustrates the horrors of war, hatred and racism vividly, and has an uplifting ending. This is a book not to be missed, a classic for all time. ... Read more

Product Description
Jews Poland Warsaw Biography.Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Poland Warsaw Personal narratives.Jewish musicians Poland Warsaw Biography.Warsaw (Poland) Biography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

le pianiste
J'ai beaucoup aimé ce livre qui démontre comment un artiste de
grand talent a su, malgré la guerre, malgré la perte de sa famille et de ses amis a réussi a passé au travers de tous ces malheurs en se rappellant les compositions qu'il interpretait
et qu'il souhaitait interpreter de nouveau apres la guerre.

Le destin tragique de cet homme qui a su s'accrocher a la vie
dans des conditions difficiles a un explemple de tenacité et de courage.

Comme ce roman est une histoire vrai il est encore plus appréciable tout en souhaitant que des évenements de ce genre ne se reproduisent jamais. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Władysław Szpilman, Edward Gierek, Jędrzej Giertych, Jan Kiepura, Moshe Harif, Jacek Majchrowski, Witold Jakóbczyk, Zbigniew Podraza, Ewa Malik, Janusz Ziółkowski, Włodzimierz Sedlak, Andrzej Kowalski. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 39. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Wadysaw Szpilman (Polish pronunciation: ; 5 December 1911 6 July 2000) was a Jewish-Polish pianist, composer, and memoirist. Szpilman is widely known as the protagonist of the Roman Polaski film The Pianist, which is based on his autobiographical book recounting how he survived the Holocaust. In November 1998 Wadysaw Szpilman was honoured by the president of Poland with a Commander's Cross Order with a Star of Polonia Restituta. Szpilman studied piano in Warsaw and Berlin in the early 1930s. After Adolf Hitler seized power in Germany in 1933, he returned to Warsaw, where he quickly became a celebrated pianist and composer of both classical and popular music. Szpilman composed many pieces and soundtracks while touring Poland with his accompanying violinist, Bronislav Gimpel. On 1 April 1935 he joined Polish Radio, where he worked as a pianist performing classical and jazz music, until the German invasion of Poland reached Warsaw on September 1, 1939, and Polskie Radio was forced off the air. The Nazi-led General Government established ghettos in many Polish cities, including Warsaw. However, Szpilman and his family did not need to find a new residence since their flat was already in the ghetto area . He continued to work as a pianist in restaurants in the ghetto. Through his piano playing, he was able to earn barely enough to support the family of six (his father, his mother, his two sisters, one brother and himself). Szpilman remained in the Warsaw Ghetto until it was abolished after the deportation of mo...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=318405 ... Read more

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Kapitel: Władysław Szpilman, Peter Kreuder, Fritz Grünbaum, Christian Anders, Heinz Gietz, Ralph Siegel, Robert Stolz, Drafi Deutscher, Hans Bertram, Michael Jary, Karl Loube, Friedrich Hollaender, Robert Gilbert, Franz Grothe, Jim Lowe, Ralph Erwin, Peter Moesser, Walter Bromme, Giannis Konstantinidis, Jack Popplewell, Ralf Petersen, Michael Wendler, Nik P., Bronislau Kaper, Karl Alfredy, Erwin Halletz, Gerhard Jussenhoven, Friedrich Schröder, Herbert Rehbein, Oscar Straus, Gerhard Winkler, Siegfried Jordan, Peter Beil, Lotar Olias, Walter Baumgartner, Walter Jurmann, Ralph Maria Siegel, Raymond Lefèvre, Heino Gaze, Alexander Steinbrecher, Tim Toupet, Robert Katscher, Peter Igelhoff, Victor Hollaender, Helmut Frommhold, Theo Mackeben, Joachim Heider, Fritz Schulz-Reichel, Ferdinand Leopoldi, Hanneliese Kreißl-Wurth, Norman Ascot, Benny de Weille, Bianca, Jupp Schlösser, Willy Mattes, Walter Wessely, Markus Agosti, Fritz Rotter, Raimond Valgre, Raimund Rosenberger, Ernst Arnold, Franz-Leo Andries, Charly Niessen, Helmut Zacharias, Nicola Piovani, Fred Raymond, Sandy Wagner, Hans Weiner-Dillmann, Fritz Weber, Michael Reinecke, Gian Piero Reverberi, Anton Profes, Jara Beneš, Günther Behrle, Toni Hämmerle, Gerhard Siebholz, Wolfgang Hofer, Karl Bette, Werner Dies, Ernst Erich Buder, Arndt Bause, Franz Doelle, Heinz Korn, Rudolf Zawrel, Valentin Pinner, Rio Gebhardt, Werner Twardy, Russ Freeman, Klaus Hugo, Rolf Arland, Hans-Arno Simon, Kurt Hertha, Big Fletchit, Rudi Werion, Hans Georg Schütz, Klaus Munro, Sven Lõhmus, Rudolf Zink, Manfred Obernosterer, Louis Wolfe Gilbert, Harald Steinhauer. Aus Wikipedia. Nicht dargestellt. Auszug: Władysław Szpilman (Polish pronunciation: ; 5 December 1911 - 6 July 2000) was a Jewish-Polish pianist, composer, and memoirist. Szpilman is widely known as the protagonist of the Roman Polański film The Pianist, which is based on his autobiographical book recounting how he survived the Holocaust. In...http://booksllc.net/?l=de ... Read more

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Kapitel: Kayah, Władysław Szpilman, Violetta Villas, Arthur Rubinstein, Krzysztof Komeda, Jan Kiepura, Edyta Górniak, Anna German, Krzysztof Krawczyk, Dj Tomekk, Czesław Niemen, Adam Darski, Anita Lipnicka, Wanda Landowska, Artur Gold, Teodor Leszetycki, Jerzy Jeszke, Maria Szymanowska, Józef Hofmann, Jan Wróblewski, Leszek Możdżer, Anna Maria Jopek, Leopold Godowsky, Paul Godwin, Gabriel Chmura, Simon Pullman, Marcella Sembrich, Ignaz Friedman, Adam Makowicz, Jean de Reszke, Mikołaj Rej, Jurek Dybał, Kazik Staszewski, Krystian Zimerman, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Marek Grechuta, Ryszard Zając, Andrzej Trzaskowski, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Marcin Jahr, Stefan Stuligrosz, Tomasz Stańko, Michel Schwalbé, Zygmunt Krauze, Maryla Rodowicz, Katarzyna Mycka, Michał Urbaniak, Jacek Kaczmarski, Urszula Dudziak, Daniel Stabrawa, Dorota Rabczewska, Marcin Mroziński, Marcin Grochowina, Jan Jargoń, Karol Lipiński, Kasia Kowalska, Joanna Domańska, Mikołaj Gomółka, Peja, Soniamiki, Wojciech Karolak, Carl Tausig, Edyta Bartosiewicz, Alicja Bachleda-Curuś, Moriz Rosenthal, Bartlomiej Oles, Edita Stanislawowna Pjecha, Rafał Blechacz, Mieczysław Fogg, Andrzej Piaseczny, Vladislav Sendecki, Justyna Steczkowska, Zbigniew Seifert, Karin Stanek, Katarzyna Nosowska, Grzegorz Turnau, Magda, Czesław Bartkowski, Grzegorz Ciechowski, Marcin Oles, Ania Dąbrowska, Basia, Ewa Demarczyk, Anna Prucnal, Mandaryna, Marcin Zdunik, Reni Jusis, Stan Borys, Celina Muza, Agnieszka Duczmal, Anna Jantar, Tomasz Szukalski, Roman Dyląg, Sławomir Kulpowicz, Marek Biliński, Marek Stefański, Marcin Świetlicki, Antymos Apostolis, Marta Sosińska, Renata Przemyk, Seweryn Krajewski, Antoni Kątski, Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński, Włodzimierz Pawlik, Tadeusz Nalepa, O.s.t.r., Maria Peszek, Adam Pierończyk, Jonasz Kofta, Lidia Kopania, Paweł Jarzębski, Alicja Janosz, Vojtěch Živný, Kasia Stankiewicz, Ewa Bem, Mieczysław Horszowski, Fisz, Natalia Kukulska, Stanisław Sojka, Stefan Czermak, Jacek...http://booksllc.net/?l=de ... Read more

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Kapitel: Władysław Szpilman, Manfred Lachs, Georgi Konstantinowitsch Schukow, Carl A. Spaatz, Władysław Bartoszewski, Tadeusz Stefan Zieliński, Józef Andrzej Gierowski, Przemysław Gosiewski, Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, William Joseph Donovan, Sławomir Skrzypek, Sławoj Leszek Głódź, Elżbieta Zawacka, Tomasz Merta, Jerzy Szmajdziński, Jolanta Szymanek-Deresz, Andrzej Czuma, Krystyna Bochenek, Krzysztof Putra, Stanisław Zając, Wiesław Ochman, Stanisław Kukuryka. Aus Wikipedia. Nicht dargestellt. Auszug: Władysław Szpilman (Polish pronunciation: ; 5 December 1911 - 6 July 2000) was a Jewish-Polish pianist, composer, and memoirist. Szpilman is widely known as the protagonist of the Roman Polański film The Pianist, which is based on his autobiographical book recounting how he survived the Holocaust. In November 1998 Władysław Szpilman was honoured by the president of Poland with a Commander's Cross Order with a Star of Polonia Restituta. Szpilman studied piano in Warsaw and Berlin in the early 1930s. After Adolf Hitler seized power in Germany in 1933, he returned to Warsaw, where he quickly became a celebrated pianist and composer of both classical and popular music. Szpilman composed many pieces and soundtracks while touring Poland with his accompanying violinist, Bronislav Gimpel. On 1 April 1935 he joined Polish Radio, where he worked as a pianist performing classical and jazz music, until the German invasion of Poland reached Warsaw on September 1, 1939, and Polskie Radio was forced off the air. The Nazi-led General Government established ghettos in many Polish cities, including Warsaw. However, Szpilman and his family did not need to find a new residence since their flat was already in the ghetto area . He continued to work as a pianist in restaurants in the ghetto. Through his piano playing, he was able to earn barely enough to support the family of six (his father, his mother, his two sisters, one brother and himself). Szpilman ...http://booksllc.net/?l=de ... Read more

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Wladyslaw Szpilman’s memoirs and Roman Polanski’s oscar-winning film have made THE PIANIST renowned all over the world. However not many people outside Poland know that as well as writing classical concert works, Szpilman also wrote about 500 songs.

These songs have been popular in Poland for decades. Now at last, Szpilman’s extraordinary talent as a song-writer reaches an international audience, thanks to the new CD Wendy Lands sings the Music of The Pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, produced in the USA by a team of first-rate American musicians. Internationally noted authors have provided sensitive new English lyrics which perfectly suit Szpilman’s blend of jazz, country and cabaret styles.

Most of the songs on this disc are now published in print as part of Boosey & Hawkes/Bote & Bock’s new series of Szpilman’s works. The album My memories of you – Sixteen selected songs by THE PIANIST Wladyslaw Szpilman is now available enabling singers everywhere to perform these hauntingly beautiful timeless ballads. The songs are in the original keys with Szpilman’s own piano accompaniments and guitar chords. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hauntingly beautiful music
I became a fan of Wladyslaw Szpilman after viewing (and viewing and viewing) the movie of his ordeal, "The Pianist".

I feel very honoured to be able to own his work, and play his work.If you love music with a classical and 1940's vibe I would highly suggest the purchase of this music. ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Władysław Szpilman, Artur Gadowski, Stanisław Sojka, Feliks Konarski, Andrzej Szpilman, Maria Peszek, Stanisław Grzesiuk, Wojciech Belon, Jonasz Kofta, Agnieszka Osiecka, Adam Nowak. Source: Wikipedia. Free updates online. Not illustrated. Excerpt: Wadysaw Szpilman (Polish pronunciation: ; 5 December 1911 6 July 2000) was a Jewish-Polish pianist, composer, and memoirist. Szpilman is widely known as the protagonist of the Roman Polaski film The Pianist, which is based on his autobiographical book recounting how he survived the Holocaust. In November 1998 Wadysaw Szpilman was honoured by the president of Poland with a Commander's Cross Order with a Star of Polonia Restituta. Szpilman studied piano in Warsaw and Berlin in the early 1930s. After Adolf Hitler seized power in Germany in 1933, he returned to Warsaw, where he quickly became a celebrated pianist and composer of both classical and popular music. Szpilman composed many pieces and soundtracks while touring Poland with his accompanying violinist, Bronislav Gimpel. On 1 April 1935 he joined Polish Radio, where he worked as a pianist performing classical and jazz music, until the German invasion of Poland reached Warsaw on September 1, 1939, and Polskie Radio was forced off the air. The Nazi-led General Government established ghettos in many Polish cities, including Warsaw. However, Szpilman and his family did not need to find a new residence since their flat was already in the ghetto area . He continued to work as a pianist in restaurants in the ghetto. Through his piano playing, he was able to earn barely enough to support the family of six (his father, his mother, his two sisters, one brother and himself). Szpilman remained in the Warsaw Ghetto until it was abolished after the deportation of most of its inhabitants. Szpilman...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=318405 ... Read more