Reckoning is both Magda Szubanski’s memoir and an attempt to understand the wartime experiences of her father, Zbigniew, and their effects on family life. In her account, he served in Polish resistance counter-intelligence during the Second World War; Szubanski’s story also follows her suburban childhood, growing up gay in the 1970s, and her adult life and public career.
What did Magda Szubanski’s father do during the war?
In an interview with ABC News, Szubanski said her father was recruited at 19 into a counter-intelligence execution squad in Warsaw. The memoir and publisher materials describe his wartime service in the Polish resistance. These details are presented through Szubanski’s account and the reporting on her interview; they should not be mistaken for an independent archival verification of every event.
For Szubanski, looking into that history was personal as well as historical. She said she needed to understand what her father had done, how it affected him, and how its effects reached her. The ABC interview quotes her saying: “I had to make my own peace with what he’d done and I had to open that door on history and start to look into his deeds, and how they’d affected him and in turn how they’d affected me.”
What is Reckoning about?
Reckoning: A Memoir moves between Szubanski’s own life and the history she uncovers about her father. Text Publishing describes a suburban childhood, the secrets around Zbigniew’s wartime activities, her experience of growing up gay in the 1970s, and her later adulthood and public career.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
The father’s Polish resistance service is not simply background to a career memoir: the Victorian Community History Awards judges identify it as the narrative’s driving historical thread. Szubanski’s inquiry helps her make sense of the man she knew and of how events before her birth shaped the family in which she grew up.
Publication history and editions
The book first appeared in hardback on 23 September 2015. Text Publishing lists several editions, including a paperback published on 1 September 2026. The publisher’s listed editions are:
| Edition | Publication date | ISBN | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardback | 23 September 2015 | 9781925240436 | 400 |
| Paperback | 1 September 2026 | 9781925773002 | 384 |
Text Publishing lists Amazon among retailers for the paperback; retailer listings do not establish stock at any particular time or location. Its page also says ANZ audio rights were sold to Bolinda, which does not by itself confirm current audiobook availability.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Award recognition
Text Publishing lists five 2016 awards for Reckoning:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsQuick Recap
Rank #3
- Indie Award for Non-Fiction
- NSW Premier’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction
- Nielsen Bookdata Booksellers Choice Award
- Australian Book Industry Award for Biography
- Australian Book Industry Award for Book of the Year
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
