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Jan had never seen a really sumptuous establishment like Lancut, but he had worked often at Castle Gorka and could see the vast difference between how a count lived, with his fifty horses and forty servants, and how his peasants lived, with meat once a year, a new suit of clothes once every ten years, little medicine and less education.
James A. Michener Poland
by James A. Michener
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In Michener's work, Jan reflects on his experiences and observations of social disparity between the wealthy and the peasant class in Poland. He is struck by the lavishness of Lancut, a stark contrast to his familiarity with Castle Gorka, where the count's extravagant lifestyle involves numerous horses and many servants. This environment highlights the inequities in living standards, showcasing the count's privileges compared to the harsh realities faced by the peasantry.

Jan sees how the peasants endure a life of scarcity, receiving scarce food and infrequent clothing updates, while lacking access to adequate healthcare and education. Their grim existence stands in sharp relief to the count's opulence, emphasizing the significant gaps between the affluent and the impoverished in society. Michener’s narrative captures the essence of these social divides, presenting a vivid portrayal of life in Poland during this period.

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Poland
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James A. Michener
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Jan had never seen a really sumptuous establishment like Lancut, but he had worked often at Castle Gorka and could see the vast difference between how a count lived, with his fifty horses and forty servants, and how his peasants lived, with meat once a year, a new suit of clothes once every ten years, little medicine and less education.
James A. Michener Poland
Jan had never seen a really sumptuous establishment like Lancut, but he had worked often at Castle Gorka and could see the vast difference between how a count lived, with his fifty horses and forty servants, and how his peasants lived, with meat once a year, a new suit of clothes once every ten years, little medicine and less education.
{Very rich people} with brains make a great effort to hold on to every penny they have while preaching to the general population that freedom and dignity and patriotism are possible only under their protection; in this way they elicit the support of the very people they hold in subjection.
James A. Michener Poland
{Very rich people} with brains make a great effort to hold on to every penny they have while preaching to the general population that freedom and dignity and patriotism are possible only under their protection; in this way they elicit the support of the very people they hold in subjection.
Rampaging horsemen can conquer; only the city can civilize.
James A. Michener Poland
Rampaging horsemen can conquer; only the city can civilize.
a soldier lives always for the next battle, because he knows that before it arrives impossible changes can occur in his favor.
James A. Michener Poland
a soldier lives always for the next battle, because he knows that before it arrives impossible changes can occur in his favor.
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Laura Caine Ramsey The Ultimate Guide to Dorothy Dunnett's The Game of Kings
The Buke of Ye Chess used the game as the basis for a series of sermons on morality. Neither book illustrates play or player improvement, but uses the chessboard and pieces to 'allegorize a political community whose citizens contribute to the common good'2.
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