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Renata Lis

is a writer and translator, whose works include “Lesbos” (a book about love and exile), and completely unique biographies of Flaubert and Bunin, for which she was nominated for awards (one of which she won). She can’t decide whether she’s a pine dreaming of being a palm, or the other way around, so she alternates her travels between Greece and Russia; she’s been as far as Kamchatka.
Who Meows at Whom
World + People
Dreams and Visions

Who Meows at Whom

From Satan's spawn to a beloved pet overlord—the change that has taken place in the way we perceive cats has more to do with us than with them.
Renata Lis
Dancing Dawns
World + People
Science

Dancing Dawns

The time of day when the sun rises is a celebration of the beginning. Literature, myths, and religions are all rich in its symbolism.
Renata Lis
A Tart Beauty
Soul + Body
Good Food

A Tart Beauty

Our author travels to the outskirts of eastern Russia to try the elusive honeyberry. As healthy as they are beautiful, as tart as they are beloved, these dark blue treasures of northern climates they boast a long and rich history.
Renata Lis
The Patter of Raindrops
World + People
Nature

The Patter of Raindrops

The sounds of rain can feel comforting and relaxing. Yet in the face of changing weather, rain can also be harbinger of environmental disaster.
Renata Lis
Hot Springs Eternal
World + People
Nature

Hot Springs Eternal

Hot springs and thermal baths have been enjoyed by humans (and animals) for thousands of years. They have health benefits, too.
Renata Lis
Chasing the Cold
Art + Stories
Experiences

Chasing the Cold

Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen” is full of wintry metaphors. But do today’s younger generations still have the icy cold reference points to understand such symbolism?
Renata Lis
Walking for Water
Soul + Body
The Four Elements

Walking for Water

According to some fairy-tales, wild springs can give us the water of life. Yet according to other folk legends, water sources can also take life away...
Renata Lis
The Stalker’s Daughter
Art + Stories
Art

The Stalker’s Daughter

The work of Soviet film-maker Andrei Tarkovsky is widely acclaimed – and with good reason. But what should we make of the role of women in his film “Stalker”?
Renata Lis
Silence Is Within Us
Humor + Variety
Variety

Silence Is Within Us

“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence,” instructs Max Ehrmann in his “Desiderata”. But why is the poem so popular in Poland?
Renata Lis
It Blows
Soul + Body
The Four Elements

It Blows

The wind is physically powerful, yet—as a quick glance through both ancient and modern literature shows—it also holds a more existential power over how we perceive ourselves within the world.
Renata Lis
A Royal Herb
World + People
Nature

A Royal Herb

In ancient Rome, basil was an amulet to ward off the evil eye. In Libya, it was thought to be an antidote for viper and scorpion attacks. From there, it was only a small step before crossing over to the dark side . . .
Renata Lis
The Face of the Sphinx
Art + Stories
Experiences

The Face of the Sphinx

The medical doctor Axel Munthe led a quiet yet fascinating life, during which he built a villa on the Isle of Capri and lived alongside the Swedish royal family. He was also an avowed animal lover.
Renata Lis