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Proud To Be A Mammal
Proud To Be A Mammal
Jan 16, 2026 8:29 AM

Author:Czeslaw Milosz

Proud To Be A Mammal

Proud to be a Mammal (1942-97) is Czeslaw Milosz's moving and diverse collection of essays. Among them, he covers his passion for poetry, his love of the Polish language that was so nearly wiped out by the violence of the twentieth century, and his happy childhood. Milosz also includes a letter to his friend in which he voices his concern about the growing indifference to murder and the true value of freedom of thought, as well as a verbal map of Wilno, with each street revealing both a rich local history and intricate, poignant personal memories.

Reviews

Bears witness to Milosz'z lifetime of toil in the fields of memory, faith and art

—— Bookforum

[The series] sheds remarkable light on the literature, culture and politics of the region...anyone coming fresh to the field will be captivated by the richness, variety, humour and pathos of a classic literature that, through a shared historical experience, transcends national and linguistic boundaries.

—— CJ Schüler , Independent on Sunday

This [series] is a wonderful idea ... They are absurdist parables, by turns hilarious, unsettling and enigmatic.

—— Nicholas Lezard , Guardian

I urge you to go and read them.

—— Adam Thirlwell , New Statesman

This new series of Central European Classics is important well beyond simply providing 'good reads'.

—— Stephen Vizinczey , Daily Telegraph

The story is beautifully crafted, astutely observed and peopled with believable characters

—— David Robson , Sunday Telegraph

Morrison handles the elements of his novel with impeccable control

—— Stephanie Merritt , Observer

An insidiously gripping tale

—— Country Life

This is a seriously good novel and it deserves to overtake a few more loudly trumpeted false favourites in the popularity and prize stakes

—— The Lady

Gripping...a masterpiece of pacing and revelation

—— Irish Times

A compelling thriller

—— Metro

A terrific thriller, a page-turner of impressive literary skill

—— Sunday Business Post

It is the assuredness of Morrison's portrayal of Ian's descent which makes The Last Weekend compelling - and lifts a familiar...story skilfully above the commonplace

—— Matthew Dennison , The Independent

His truly sensational latest novel, which places him at the forefront of British novelists writing today

—— Sunday Express

Creepy and compelling, but also often extremely funny. Blake Morrison has inhabited the world of a deeply flawed character with unforgettable results

—— Mark Bostridge , Financial Times

Tautly written and tightly structured, this is a novel that explores jealousy, rivalry, deceit and manipulation

—— Mail on Sunday

Warner navigates the comic, the philosophical and the socially acute like no other writer we have

—— Independent

Played refreshingly uncliched games with the device of the unreliable narrator

—— Jonathan Coe , Daily Telegraph, Christmas round up

Blake Morrison's examination of the dark heart of male rivalry makes foe a gripping read

—— Aminatta Forna , Sunday Telegraph, Christmas round up

Pacy and gripping...wonderfully atmospheric

—— Good Book Guide

Morrison's compelling study of male competitiveness offers a discomforting account of the amoral excuses and self-deception of the compulsive gambler: "I don't have a problem. I could stop tomorrow"; "gambling is the basis of our whole economy". You reckon you could put it down at any point - though you'd be kidding yourself

—— Alfred Hickling , Guardian

The Bank Holiday weekend from hell is the subject of Blake Morrison's entertaining new novel - a dark little tale about middle-class rivalry and midsummer meltdown. With an ear attuned to metropolitan pretension - modern parenting skills are sent up with gusto - Morrison succeeds in weaving a murderous melodrama that is grounded in the most recognizable of human impulses and desires

—— Emma Hagestadt , Independent

A tense chamber piece about a twisted friendship...the author's skilful choreography of unsympathetic characters and a menacing tone make for a sharply intelligent novel that is both unnerving and enjoyable

—— Financial Times

The Last Weekend isn't really a thriller though its well-paced, tight and gripping narrative has you reaching for the same adjectives that you would use to describe one

—— Paul Dunn , The Times

For those holidaying with old friends…the book tells the chilling story ofa rivalrousfriendship…leaving Alex Clark to conclude that Morrison “keeps the reader constantly intrigued

—— Guardian
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