Mariusz Szczygieł has been associated with "Gazeta Wyborcza" for over thirty years. His talent for writing reportages developed under the supervision of Hanna Krall. The journalist was also the host of the popular TV show "Na każdy temat" [Every Topic]. In 1997, the show received the Polsat TV Award for the best talk show.
Mariusz Szczygieł is not only an outstanding reporter, but also a former academic lecturer. His achievements include the Nike Literary Award (2019) and the Grand Press Award (2013) for the best Polish journalist. During the three meetings as part of the "Reportaż, czyli sposób na życie" [Reportage, or a Way of Life] series, organised as part of the "Łódzkie wykłady z poetyki", the writer shared his experience related to the reportage and presented the principles and values that apply in Polish journalism.
The first lecture, entitled "Wynalazek polskiej szkoły reportażu" [Invention of the Polish school of reportage], was devoted to the topics related to memory, time and perception of reality. During the remaining lectures, Mariusz Szczygieł shared his passion and knowledge about reportage, presenting interesting fragments of the Polish journalism history and key aspects of the reporter's profession. The journalist thoroughly discussed all the most important aspects of creating original stories that stimulate people's imagination and also pointed out the most essential cultural differences between Poland and the Czech Republic.
The meeting with an experienced and respected in the Polish media reporter was hosted by Dr Maciej Robert (Dom Literatury w Łodzi) and Dr Izabella Adamczewska-Baranowska (Department of Theory of Literature of the University of Lodz). After each lecture, the guest answered questions from the audience, thus enriching the most interesting threads of his inspiring story. Thanks to the reflections presented by the famous writer, the participants of "Łódzkie wykłady z poetyki" had the opportunity to understand how to create valuable stories.
The "Łódzkie wykłady z poetyki" series began in March 2018, when Olga Tokarczuk, the later winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature gave three lectures at the University of Lodz, the record of which was included in her book entitled "Czuły Narrator" [The Tender Narrator]. This series of meetings at the Faculty of Philology of the University of Lodz with the participation of distinguished guests, such as Mariusz Szczygieł, are an extraordinary event that integrates the scientific, literary and media communities. The series continues the tradition of drawing inspiration from and expanding knowledge in the field of literature and reportage.
Edit: Angelina Kusowska (Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz)
Photos: Bartosz Burski (Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz)