"A Swallow's Shadow, An Essay on Chopins Thoughts". Author: Ryszard Przybylski Translated into English by John Comber. Hardback, not issued with dustjacket. Published in 2011 by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, Warsaw. First Edition. ISBN 9788361142645. Unread and as new. 

About the book: "This essay by Ryszard Przybylski explores the inner world, personality, and philosophical outlook of the composer Frédéric Chopin. Rather than focusing only on his music, it examines his thoughts, emotions, and letters to understand his identity and creative spirit.

The book argues that Chopin’s work reflects a deep sense of melancholy, exile, and longing, especially connected to his separation from Poland and his memories of Warsaw. Przybylski describes Chopin as a complex figure marked by emotional duality—both fragile and disciplined. His sadness is not simply despair, but a controlled, artistic feeling that becomes the source of his strength and creativity.

The essay also discusses Chopin’s views on communication and expression, suggesting he believed that letters and words could never fully capture a person’s inner life or thoughts. This idea reflects his belief that music was a more powerful and authentic way of expressing human experience.

Overall, the work presents Chopin as a deeply reflective Romantic artist whose music expresses universal emotions such as longing, identity, memory, and hope, while also revealing his personal struggles and philosophical depth." [Thanks to AI,]