The book is devoted to the work of Cyprian Norwid (1821-1883), one of the most outstanding Polish authors. Norwid addresses fundamental and timeless issues, such as the moral and spiritual condition of man. The book contains an extensive selection of contributions by eminent researchers, which represent different approaches to the poet's work.

The book presents twentieth-century Polish literature as an example of Eastern European modernism while foregrounding the understanding of modernity in Polish literature. Bolecki persuasively argues for his own conception of modernism, which he grounds in an exploration of both the affinities and divergences of Eastern European and Western European modernism, while considering not only literary and historical issues but also social, political, and cultural dimensions.