The Polish Book Institute

Polish reporter Witold Szabłowski's book Rosja od kuchni ("What's Cooking in the Kremlin”) has already seen its third reprint two weeks after its premiere in Taiwan! Szabłowski's latest book was translated into classical Chinese by Chih-Chun Yeh and published by Acropolis Publishing.

What's Cooking in the Kremlin is not Szabłowski's first book to enjoy success in Taiwan. In recent years, Acropolis Publishing has also published Tańczące niedźwiedzie (“Dancing Bears”, translated by Wei-Yun Lin-Górecka) and Jak nakarmić dyktatora (“How to Feed a Dictator”, translated by Chih-Chun Yeh). Both titles are popular in Taiwan, and Dancing Bears was even included in the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan's recommended reading list for primary and secondary school students. Recently, Szabłowski's books were recommended by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen herself on her official Twitter account.

Witold Szabłowski was one of several Polish authors present at the Taipei International Book Exhibition taking place from 31 January to 5 February, where he had the opportunity to meet many of his readers. During his stay in Taiwan, the writer mainly promoted What's Cooking in the Kremlin, which had just premiered at the Taipei fair.

“Taiwanese people see very many similarities between China's relationship to Taiwan and Russia's relationship to Ukraine". It is living in the shadow of a large neighbour who does not accept your independence, your entity. I hope this book will make its way here in the coming days," Szabłowski told the Polish Press Agency during his visit to Taipei.

Witold Szabłowski is currently one of the most popular Polish writers translated into foreign languages. Dancing Bears and How to Feed a Dictator have so far been translated into French, Japanese, German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, and English, among other languages - also thanks to the support received from the ©POLAND Translation Programme run by the Book Institute. In the United States, both books were published by the prestigious Penguin Random House publishing house. In addition, Szabłowski has sold the rights to a TV series adaptation of How to Feed a Dictator to the production company Free Assiociations, owned by actor Channing Tatum.

So far, apart from Taiwan, What's Cooking in the Kremlin has also been published in Slovakia. In March, the book will also be published in Ukraine and in the following months in Spain, the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, the UK, and the US.