Marcin Szczygielski
Marcin Szczygielski (born 1972) is a Polish writer, journalist and graphic designer. He is an author of theatrical plays, novels for adults and for teenagers. Since December 2012 he has been a member of Stowarzyszenie Pisarzy Polskich (Polish Writers' Association). Biography. Szczygielski was born in Warsaw to actor Cezary Szczygielski and singer Iwona Racz-Szczygielska, vocalist of Polish girlsband Filipinki. His parents divorced while he was still a child and he was raised by his mother. Szczygielski is openly gay and lives in Warsaw with his partner (since 1994) Tomasz Raczek, a journalist and film critic. Career. His  debut was "PL-BOY" (published 2003), a fictional, humorous account of the editorial department of the Polish Edition "Playboy" magazine of which Szczygielski used to be the art director. The novels that followed – "Wiosna PL-BOYa" (2004), "Nasturcje i cwoki" (2005) and "Farfocle namietnosci" (2006) – established him as one of the most-read authors of popular literature in Poland. "Berek" (2007) tells a story of a difficult friendship between an elderly lady - a conservative Catholic and her young neighbour, openly gay. The novel immediately hit the bestseller list. Its spinoff, titled "Bierki", was published in 2010. In 2011 "Poczet Krolowych  Polskich" ("The Queens Saga") was published, which is claimed to be Szczygielski's most mature and most ambitious novel. This elaborate, multigenerational family saga that portrays the contemporary Polish history through the lives of women of 4 generations, was nominated for the Srebrny Kałamarz Literary Prize. A separate part of Marcin Szczygielski's literary output are books aimed towards younger readers. Each of them has received numerous awards and recognition awards in literary contests, whereas novels "Czarny Mlyn" and "Za niebieskimi drzwiami" have been incorporated into the extracurricular reading list in Polish elementary schools. Szczygielski's theatrical plays have been  staged in many Polish theatres – among others in the cities of Warsaw, Łódź, Płock and Cracow. Books. Aimed towards adult readers: Aimed towards young readers: Theatrical plays: