• WL100/76: Lutosławski Learns To Drive

The most unexpected volume on Lutosławski’s bookshelves was an undated notebook with a green binding.  On the cover he had written: W Lutosławski, Warszawa – 33, Zwycięzców – 39.  Lutosławski lived with his family in a flat at 39 Ulica Zwycięzców (Street of the Victors) from 1946-68.  The ’33’ seems to relate to the district’s Post Office (there are now offices closer to his old flat).  Apologies for the out-of-focus shot of the cover.

When I opened the notebook I was surprised to find its pages filled with notes about how to drive.  I took just a single further photo, of one of the early double pages, mainly because it included his diagrams of how to do three-point turns and how to navigate junctions.  Evidently, preparation was the key for everything in Lutosławski’s life!  It is also possible that the notes were written not for himself but for someone else in his family.