This is a collection of essays to celebrate 45 years of Professor Aleksander Szwedek s academic endeavour and his impressive contribution to the development of linguistics in Poland and abroad. The articles seek to represent an eclectic range of topics in linguistics, literature and cultural studies. They reflect the versatile and influential nature of Professor Szwedek s work, and have been contributed by colleagues and former pupils, now active in a variety of academic fields, within English studies. All have been inspired in various ways by the work and teaching of Aleksander Szwedek."