Push Not the River

By: James Conroyd Martin

Narrated by: Dawn Harvey

A panoramic and epic novel in the grand romantic style, Push Not the River is the rich story of Poland in the late 1700's - a time of heartache and turmoil as the country's once peaceful people are torn apart by neighboring countries and divided loyalties. It is then, at the young and vulnerable age of seventeen, that Lady Anna Maria Berezowska loses both of her parents and must leave the only home she has ever known. With Empress Catherine's Russian armies streaming in to take their spoils, Anna is quickly thrust into a world of love and hate, loyalty and deceit, patriotism and treason, life and death. Even kind Aunt Stella, Anna's new guardian, who soon comes to personify Poland's courage and spirit, can't protect Anna from the uncertain future of the country. Anna, no longer a child, turns to love and comfort in the form of Jan, a brave patriot and architect of democracy, unaware that her beautiful and enigmatic cousin, Zofia, has already set her sights on the handsome, young fighter.

Thus, Anna walks unwittingly into Zofia's jealous wrath and darkly sinister intentions. Forced to survive several tragic events, many of them orchestrated by the crafty Zofia, a strengthened Anna begins to learn to place herself in the way of destiny - for love and for her country. Heeding the proud spirit of her late father, Anna becomes a major player in the fight against the countries who come to partition her beloved Poland.

Push Not the River is based on the true eighteenth century diary of Anna Maria Berezowska, a Polish countess who lived through the rise and fall of the historic Third of May Constitution. Vivid, romantic, and thrillingly paced, it paints the emotional and unforgettable story of the metamorphosis of a nation - and of a proud and resilient young woman.

©2003 James Conroyd Martin (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Polish Life before Napoleon

This book was interesting. History of Poland before and during Russian invasion.
Did not like the narrators voices at all.

Wow, what a life

When I read historical books, they never ceases to amaze me. What they endured, especially during I wanna poop inside any today very squeals and take read many things

Wonderfully written and Narrated!!!

I absolutely loved this book and it was a joy to listen to. I am going to download the sequel now.

Fast paced

Did not enjoy the narration. Voice of Sofia was grating and gave the character little depth. Voice of Anna was fine.

Great Book!-please get a different narrator!

I loved the book. It is a great story! It's a rare story about the partition of Poland in the 1700s. The narrator, however, had a VERY VERY poor pronunciation of Polish words; she slaughtered them! Her voice doing the different characters was poor as well. This book is a trilogy. I hope there is a new narrator for the third book.