Anna Cienciala: What I Remember

I met Professor Cienciala in 1991 or 1992 at the University of Kansas, where I gave a talk. We were probably aware of each other’s existence before my visit but had never before met in person. In those days I strictly observed the academic canon concerning appropriate attire while giving a lecture: blouse and blazer it was, and of course trousers rather than a skirt. To my amazement, she came to my talk dressed in a flowery cotton dress, of the kind one associates with the 1950s. Bear with me: the dress has a meaning of its own. We became infrequent correspondents. I was in literature; she was in history and was somewhat older than I. It appeared that we had little in common. She would, however, respond affirmatively to my requests that she review books for Sarmatian Review. She wrote quite a few reviews for us and could always be counted on to deliver them promptly. I was pleased that she mentioned Sarmatian Review in her excellent compendium of works on the history of Poland and Eastern Europe available online (http://acienciala.faculty.ku.edu/hist557/bibpt1rev.htm).