Jolanta Sztachelska is Professor of Polish at the University of Białystok, Poland. Her research interests include Polish literature of the second half of 19th century in the contexts of European literatures and the genealogy of the genres of popular literature. She has published on reportage and travel writing; her latest book is entitled Czar i zaklęcie Sienkiewicza Studia i szkice (The Charm and Spell of Sienkiewicz: Studies and Sketches) (2003).