The Painted BirdRecommendations

The legendary, masterwork of Jerzy Kosinski depicting a broken post-war Europe.
The Painted Bird, first published in 1965, established Jerzy Kosinski as a famous literary force. The narrative follows a dark-haired, olive-skinned youngster who was abandoned by his parents during World War II and journeys alone from town to village, often pursued and tortured, and only occasionally protected and cared for. Kosinski captures a Bosch-like world of horrific excess, where mindless violence and untempered anger are the norm, by juxtaposing puberty and the most severe of adult experiences. Kosinski's work is a narrative of mythological proportions, much more relevant to today's culture than it was when it was first published, thanks to simple style and striking imagery.