Scan barcode
p_t_b's review against another edition
2.0
came to janusz korczak via something graeme wood tweeted and while korczak's bio is awesome: this book has not aged well. there are some cool things here: the slow maturation of matt from naive orphan king to increasingly tragic young adult, sort of like _the little prince_ but actually about you know, about being a ruler. but the antique racism/stereotyping that keeps coming up makes this hard to appreciate. there is something here but i'm not going to do the work of excavating it and washing all the shit off it.
diana_skelton's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure I would read this to young children today, because even though one of the author's aims was to improve the way Europeans saw Africans, the context in 1923 was a very low bar indeed. (A very nice touch, however, is that Klu Klu, the African heroine, is stronger and more athletic than most boys, and pities European girls who are prevented from running and climbing trees by their ridiculously impractical fashions.)
Setting aside the weighty issue of colonisation, I do find the story touching and engagingly told. The Vintage Classic edition has a very helpful essay at the end on what inspired Korczak. It notes that he was writing only 12 years after Poland had abolished its monarchy and at a time when absolute monarchs had just plunged Europe into the horrors of World War I. The explorations in the story around what democracy could/should look like are extremely turbulent--and not so far from real-life experimentations and missteps then and since. King Matt (who is very young to be governing a nation with no adult help) quickly learns just how nasty war is for his subjects and moves on to discover that "not all conquering is done by going to war" and that he can get more for his country by diplomatic bargaining.
The afterword also notes that in Nazi-occupied Poland, instead of wearing the Jewish star assigned to him and the children in his orphanage, Korczak had a large flag made and would carry it when the orphans were allowed outdoors. Refusing to escape without the orphans, he was able to comfort them until they were all gassed together in Treblinka, probably by telling them stories like that of King Matt, whose adventures were in the name of trying to reform a world of murderous alliances and espionage.
Setting aside the weighty issue of colonisation, I do find the story touching and engagingly told. The Vintage Classic edition has a very helpful essay at the end on what inspired Korczak. It notes that he was writing only 12 years after Poland had abolished its monarchy and at a time when absolute monarchs had just plunged Europe into the horrors of World War I. The explorations in the story around what democracy could/should look like are extremely turbulent--and not so far from real-life experimentations and missteps then and since. King Matt (who is very young to be governing a nation with no adult help) quickly learns just how nasty war is for his subjects and moves on to discover that "not all conquering is done by going to war" and that he can get more for his country by diplomatic bargaining.
The afterword also notes that in Nazi-occupied Poland, instead of wearing the Jewish star assigned to him and the children in his orphanage, Korczak had a large flag made and would carry it when the orphans were allowed outdoors. Refusing to escape without the orphans, he was able to comfort them until they were all gassed together in Treblinka, probably by telling them stories like that of King Matt, whose adventures were in the name of trying to reform a world of murderous alliances and espionage.
andalara's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
ivanamn's review against another edition
5.0
Gorka i tužna knjiga. Siroti Maćuš, taman što je, sticajem okolnosti, dospeo u svet u kome je sve dozvoljeno, surova stvarnost ga uči pravoj istini, a to je da je dečji san o apsolutnoj slobodi lišenoj autoriteta laž, da ne možeš idealima protiv sistema, protiv ljudske prirode... Još jedna potvrda da su međuratni pisci za decu apsolutni kraljevi mračnjaštva i subverzije.
sergei_ter_tumasov's review against another edition
5.0
Душераздирающая книга!!!!!!!!!!
Любил эту историю, но боялся её читать (и всё равно читал много раз), потому что здесь несправедливость торжествует, но при этом это НАСТОЯЩАЯ детская книга. Януш Корчак знал, что творится в душе у ребёнка и что он сможет выдержать, а что нет!!!
Наверное, ЛУЧШАЯ детская книга, которую я когда-либо читал!!!!!!!!!!!
Любил эту историю, но боялся её читать (и всё равно читал много раз), потому что здесь несправедливость торжествует, но при этом это НАСТОЯЩАЯ детская книга. Януш Корчак знал, что творится в душе у ребёнка и что он сможет выдержать, а что нет!!!
Наверное, ЛУЧШАЯ детская книга, которую я когда-либо читал!!!!!!!!!!!
rixx's review against another edition
3.0
Maciuś (as he is called in the original and in the German translation) becomes the king at a very young age. Despite his advisors, he enacts a set of bold reforms, trying to improve people's lives. It all goes wrong after a while, because ruling is complex, as it turns out, and also people are not exactly cooperative.
When a war breaks out, he joins it anonymously, and things get really rough. When he later falls in love with an African princess, he learns about racism. When he belatedly notices corruption in his kingdom and has his ministers arrested, he realises that he doesn't know enough to rule without them, and has to release them (and institutes a constitutional monarchy).
My biggest lesson from this book was how fiendishly complex the world is, and how little decisions can have complex consequences. And also that war is horrible.
When a war breaks out, he joins it anonymously, and things get really rough. When he later falls in love with an African princess, he learns about racism. When he belatedly notices corruption in his kingdom and has his ministers arrested, he realises that he doesn't know enough to rule without them, and has to release them (and institutes a constitutional monarchy).
My biggest lesson from this book was how fiendishly complex the world is, and how little decisions can have complex consequences. And also that war is horrible.
combimagnetron's review against another edition
4.0
I'd read this book as an example of what a more contemporary book about adult themes aimed at youths could be. I feel the racial stereotyping, whilst very progressive for the time, is just too grave to share with (most) children up to 10 in it's current form. Not because they are unexplainable, but because they might still leave unconscious traces of 'othering' and essentializing. Even if, superficially, children might be able to understand it's 'just a story' and it's supposed to 'make children say eww'. It asks of children to have a proper mindset, an internal voice that will actively dismiss any racist statements. When reading to children an adult might take the role of this voice, but would, in my opinion, still have to take great caution. I would advice to do this head on, though, and not try to substitute the problematic passages.
I do think though, this is a fantastic book for later reading. For an account of Korczak's thought on youth participation wrapped in an engaging, endearing, moving story of young king Matt. Who, after being forced into it through sad misfortune, slowly but certainly gets to know the world of adults the hard way. He never becomes perfect. But he , sometimes maturely swallowing his feelings, always overthinks his adventures and mistakes therein. This process of learning and growing, endearingly put on paper by Korczak, sets a great example for children and adults alike.
I do think though, this is a fantastic book for later reading. For an account of Korczak's thought on youth participation wrapped in an engaging, endearing, moving story of young king Matt. Who, after being forced into it through sad misfortune, slowly but certainly gets to know the world of adults the hard way. He never becomes perfect. But he , sometimes maturely swallowing his feelings, always overthinks his adventures and mistakes therein. This process of learning and growing, endearingly put on paper by Korczak, sets a great example for children and adults alike.
joy761's review against another edition
2.0
I’m not even sure how to begin reviewing this book. King Matt the First is translated from Polish and published first in 1923. Obviously there are some cultural differences in time and place and maybe exactly how a novel should unfold by today’s standards.
The story follows young Matt, who’s orphaned and heir to the throne of his kingdom. I could never even be sure if I liked him or not, but he did seem to be doing his best to defend his people and to become king of the children. The novel involves his adventures fighting in a WWI style trench war, traveling to Africa, and doing his best to rule his kingdom in peace.
I appreciated the foreword giving some context on the author, a Polish doctor who ran orphanages by a children’s parliament and set up the first national children’s newspaper. From the book, I can glean he cared very much for the rights of children, at a time when that perhaps wasn’t a concept the world concerned itself with. It also seemed a little revolutionary that he was championing gender equality (King Matt says the girls “of course” would be allowed to have delegates in the children’s parliament) And though the colonial, racist ideas were hard to read in regards to Matt and the “savage” and “ignorant” Africans, I could still tell the author felt everyone in the world deserved fair treatment. I was moved to tears by the true story of the author, in 1942, marching with the green children’s flag, like the one King Matt created in the book, with two hundred children to board the train to Treblinka where he and those children would die in a gas chamber, refusing to abandon his charges.
But the poignancy of the author’s real life bravery and care of children isn’t enough to make up for the book. I could forgive the offensive references to Africans, the children drinking vodka and smoking, and the inappropriate violence in a children’s book. (Ex: Matt killing someone with a shot that shattered their skull) But for this review, what’s hard to forgive is the boring way the story unspooled from one event to the next in a jerky and abrupt fashion.
Speaking of abrupt, the ending.
Wut?
I read this as a school librarian because it’s been assigned as a Battle of the Books choice. For the life of me, I can’t understand why. It’s no longer a book for children, but does offer moments of fascinating reading in trying to decipher the views of children’s rights in another time. Who knows, maybe it takes time to process some of the messages in this book. And I did find the consequences of attacks on truth and use of propaganda as relevant as ever!
The story follows young Matt, who’s orphaned and heir to the throne of his kingdom. I could never even be sure if I liked him or not, but he did seem to be doing his best to defend his people and to become king of the children. The novel involves his adventures fighting in a WWI style trench war, traveling to Africa, and doing his best to rule his kingdom in peace.
I appreciated the foreword giving some context on the author, a Polish doctor who ran orphanages by a children’s parliament and set up the first national children’s newspaper. From the book, I can glean he cared very much for the rights of children, at a time when that perhaps wasn’t a concept the world concerned itself with. It also seemed a little revolutionary that he was championing gender equality (King Matt says the girls “of course” would be allowed to have delegates in the children’s parliament) And though the colonial, racist ideas were hard to read in regards to Matt and the “savage” and “ignorant” Africans, I could still tell the author felt everyone in the world deserved fair treatment. I was moved to tears by the true story of the author, in 1942, marching with the green children’s flag, like the one King Matt created in the book, with two hundred children to board the train to Treblinka where he and those children would die in a gas chamber, refusing to abandon his charges.
But the poignancy of the author’s real life bravery and care of children isn’t enough to make up for the book. I could forgive the offensive references to Africans, the children drinking vodka and smoking, and the inappropriate violence in a children’s book. (Ex: Matt killing someone with a shot that shattered their skull) But for this review, what’s hard to forgive is the boring way the story unspooled from one event to the next in a jerky and abrupt fashion.
Speaking of abrupt, the ending.
Wut?
I read this as a school librarian because it’s been assigned as a Battle of the Books choice. For the life of me, I can’t understand why. It’s no longer a book for children, but does offer moments of fascinating reading in trying to decipher the views of children’s rights in another time. Who knows, maybe it takes time to process some of the messages in this book. And I did find the consequences of attacks on truth and use of propaganda as relevant as ever!
kairin16's review against another edition
4.0
Talk about books that can surprise you.
My copy of the story I got as a reward one year of primary or middle school, not sure now which, as it was a required reading then. I didn't read it, because even then I was very bad at following instructions and had too many other books I wanted to read to bother with some childish story about a child that became king. Especially since there was at least two different cartoons about it on the tv at the time, and they made it look, well, very childish. Like, not school-children childish, but kindergarten childish.
I blame those cartoons for bringing lies into my life and making me wait so long to read this amazing, amazing book.
There is a foreword from an author, about the fact that adults shouldn't read the book because they wouldn't understand it, but I don't think that's quite true. Admittedly, I think there are many older people who would laugh at the story, but I also think that part of our society is growing more empathetic and that that part would at least get it.
The book talks about a boy, a small child who has to face not only death of his only remaining parent, but also sudden onset of responsibilities as a king. That child, despite his lack of general knowledge and experience, is one of the best kings I've read about.
Yes, he makes mistakes, but honestly an adult monarch would be hard to not to, much less an eight year old. He wins hearts of his people because when he finds out about a war that other countries declared against him, he sneaks out of the palace and joins the front as a volunteer. And not only he fights, but he is one of the more valuable parts of his platoon, even going so far as to spy on the opponents and bringing a huge victory for his country.
He's sensitive and all he wants is for his subjects to be happy - all of them, children and adults like. He forgives everyone who hurts him, even going as far as forgiving a friend who brought downfall of his kingdom by being selfish and greedy. He opens his heart not only for the neighbours who attacked him and becomes friends with them, but even for African kings who everyone else turns their noses at. He tries to bring progress into the country, despite barely understanding how to.
Admittedly, he is not a perfect character. He's very proud and tends to be very arrogant and hot-headed. But his intentions are always good and although he's a little naive, he works hard at what he thinks is the best for everyone. I have to be honest that when the end of the book came I was covered in tears and there was a while since a book had hit me so hard.
Absolute brilliant read. I'm glad I found it on my shelf.
My copy of the story I got as a reward one year of primary or middle school, not sure now which, as it was a required reading then. I didn't read it, because even then I was very bad at following instructions and had too many other books I wanted to read to bother with some childish story about a child that became king. Especially since there was at least two different cartoons about it on the tv at the time, and they made it look, well, very childish. Like, not school-children childish, but kindergarten childish.
I blame those cartoons for bringing lies into my life and making me wait so long to read this amazing, amazing book.
There is a foreword from an author, about the fact that adults shouldn't read the book because they wouldn't understand it, but I don't think that's quite true. Admittedly, I think there are many older people who would laugh at the story, but I also think that part of our society is growing more empathetic and that that part would at least get it.
The book talks about a boy, a small child who has to face not only death of his only remaining parent, but also sudden onset of responsibilities as a king. That child, despite his lack of general knowledge and experience, is one of the best kings I've read about.
Yes, he makes mistakes, but honestly an adult monarch would be hard to not to, much less an eight year old. He wins hearts of his people because when he finds out about a war that other countries declared against him, he sneaks out of the palace and joins the front as a volunteer. And not only he fights, but he is one of the more valuable parts of his platoon, even going so far as to spy on the opponents and bringing a huge victory for his country.
He's sensitive and all he wants is for his subjects to be happy - all of them, children and adults like. He forgives everyone who hurts him, even going as far as forgiving a friend who brought downfall of his kingdom by being selfish and greedy. He opens his heart not only for the neighbours who attacked him and becomes friends with them, but even for African kings who everyone else turns their noses at. He tries to bring progress into the country, despite barely understanding how to.
Admittedly, he is not a perfect character. He's very proud and tends to be very arrogant and hot-headed. But his intentions are always good and although he's a little naive, he works hard at what he thinks is the best for everyone. I have to be honest that when the end of the book came I was covered in tears and there was a while since a book had hit me so hard.
Absolute brilliant read. I'm glad I found it on my shelf.
pussreboots's review against another edition
5.0
King Matt the First by Janusz Korczak is one of those gems picked at random from the library. The title caught my eye and although the cover art and blurb made it sound hokey, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did even though it brought me to tears in a couple places.
Although my library puts the book in the children's section, I'd call it an adult book that happens to have a child protagonist. The book was first published in 1923 and was one of twenty novels by child advocate Henryk Goldszmit writing under the pen name Janusz Korczak. To learn more about his life and his mission, read the Boylan Blog post.
Matt becomes king at the tender age of five when his ailing father dies. He's just old enough to remember the good times when both his parents were alive. He's smart enough to know that his advisors plan to use him as a tool for their own agendas until he's of age. He also knows he has a lot to learn before he can be an effective monarch.
This 300 page novel chronicles the rise and fall of King Matt the First. His kingdom goes through war, through peace, the threat of another war and social justice reforms on the home front. Much of what King Matt tries to accomplish especially for his fellow children mirror the author's own causes.
More...