Introducing "Yad" by Daniel Karpinski – A Captivating Journey through 18th-Century Spain
Book Cover
The Author Daniel Karpinski
About the Book
A fantastical debut novel set during the Spanish Inquisition explores the distance between reality and dreams. Antonio, the patriarch of the Tomé family in Madrid and an architect, announces at a gathering that he’s received a commission to build “a great altar in a great cathedral” in Toledo, and so the family is moving there. Once in Toledo, Esperanza, the wife of Antonio’s son, Narciso, experiences a series of erotically charged dreams in which she inhabits the body of another woman, Nora. In this nocturnal fantasy, Nora has a torrid affair with Narciso.
Daniel Karpinski relentlessly interrogates the interstices between the real and the hallucinatory— Esperanza’s dreams at first seem like unconscious expressions of her own frustrations with waking life. But then they seem like prophecies when these imaginations start to leak into the world. Esperanza makes the acquaintance of Nora del Pulpo. Then Nora’s husband, Miguel, a public prosecutor, discovers the real affair between his wife and Narciso. As a result, Narciso is forced to clandestinely flee from the unmerciful judgment of the Inquisition. Meanwhile, his wife, Esperanza Tomé, disguises herself as him and continues to work in the cathedral. After crashing in the south of Spain, Narciso becomes a bullfighter, travels with a band of sophisticated robbers and then moonlights as a cheesemaker before returning to Toledo on the day of the altar’s consecration.
The story is composed in novelistic form, but each chapter begins with a short summary that often includes stage notes, as if the drama were designed to be performed in a theater.
Daniel Karpinski is endlessly imaginative, and his massive philosophical ambitions are impressive.
About the Author
Daniel Karpinski is an acclaimed author known for his thought-provoking narratives and unique storytelling style. He is the author of "I jak Inni" (O Like the Others or A Like Another) (WL, 1998) and "Fikcja" (Fiction) (WL, 2000), both of which were nominated for the Nike Literary Award, Poland’s most prestigious literary prize. An audiobook of "I jak Inni" is an official promotional material for Tarnów, the city depicted in the book, underscoring its cultural significance.
Karpinski's work extends beyond literature to radio broadcasting. He won a radio broadcasting contest with "The Fourth Person of Drama," which premiered at the Cracow Broadcasting Station in 1984. His short story, "Junk," was published in The Outreach in Toronto in 1994, marking his presence in the North American literary scene.
His novel, "Yad," published by FriesenPress in 2019, has garnered international acclaim, earning second place in the fiction category at the Paris Book Festival in 2019 and the Impact Award in 2024. The Polish version of the novel, "Jad," published by Novae Res in 2018, was also nominated for the Angelus Award, one of the most prestigious Central European literary awards.
Born in Tarnow, Poland, Karpinski pursued a PhD in architecture before moving to West Berlin. Since 1989, he has made Toronto his home, where he balances his time between writing, designing, and teaching architecture at Toronto Metropolitan University. His diverse experiences and multidisciplinary expertise are evident in his writing, which seamlessly integrates architectural knowledge, historical depth, and literary creativity.
The inspiration for “Yad” comes from a deep well of artistic and historical sources that have profoundly influenced Daniel’s creative process. These three inspirations—each a masterpiece in its own right—have woven together to create a tapestry that blends history, art, and mysticism, forming the backbone of Yad’s narrative journey:
• The poem by St. John of the Cross “The Dark Night of the Soul” (the poem is used in the book). This poem narrative is parallel to the story “Yad” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Night_of_the_Soul
• A painting called “El caballero de la mano en el pecho,” by El Greco (now in Prado, Madrid, Spain). This painting is used as the cover for “Yad” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nobleman_with_his_Hand_on_his_Chest
• El Transparente – an altar constructed in the Toledo Cathedral (Spain) and his construction is the timeline of the story “Yad” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Transparente
Message from the Author
“Please read my story. If you cannot, then read only two pages: 100 and 101 with the poem by St. John of the Cross “The Dark Night of the Soul”.
Daniel Karpinski recently participated in the Prime Seven Media Spotlight in an engaging interview with Logan Crawford, where he answered questions and shared profound insights into his book. His thoughtful remarks not only enriched the conversation but also offered the audience a deeper appreciation of the book's substance and the layers of meaning within its pages. (Logan Crawford TV Interview Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNB5eQBq57I)
For readers who love a rich blend of history, adventure, and human drama. Join the journey today and immerse yourself in this unforgettable tale of love, deception, and redemption in the heart of 18th-century Spain. "Yad" is available for purchase at Amazon, or you may click this link https://www.amazon.com/Yad-Daniel-Karpinski-ebook/dp/B07L38297T.
Luna Harrington
Prime Seven Media
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WATCH NOW: Yad by Daniel Karpinski on Spotlight TV with Logan Crawford at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNB5eQBq57I
