num_pages: 192
description: 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.
language: English
title: Mercedes-Benz: From Letters To Hrabal
titlecomplete: Mercedes-Benz: From Letters To Hrabal
characters: Paweł Huelle
genres: Fiction, Polish Literature, Poland, Contemporary
ratings_count: 458
awards: awardedAt: 978336000000
name: Paszporty Polityki, awardedAt: 1136102400000
name: Independent Foreign Fiction Prize
category: Shortlist, awardedAt: 1293868800000
name: Metų verstinė knyga
publisher: Serpent's Tail