Michael Kula

WRITER ° TEACHER ° TRAVELLER

A person riding a bicycle on snow-covered ground with tracks visible, and airplanes flying in the overcast sky.

No… I’m not talking about the loneliness that sometimes comes when you write.... I’m talking about my current book project: The Long Alone, a creative nonfiction account of the life and travels of Kazimierz Nowak, an unemployed bank clerk who left his home in Poznan, Poland in 1931 with dreams of crossing the continent of Africa alone by bicycle.

Nowak’s story is remarkable not just for his ambition and his physical accomplishment, but even more so for the emotional and spiritual struggles he faced along the way, all of which he chronicled in hundreds of personal letters and photos sent home to his family during some of the most pivotal years in the 20th Century.

A black-and-white portrait of a man with a beard and mustache, wearing a hat with a pointed brim. The man is in profile, facing to the right, with a thoughtful expression.

The Long Alone

A person sitting on a sand dune in a desert, wearing a hoodie and sunglasses, with a walking stick nearby.
A person sitting on sand in a desert with a bicycle, wearing a hat, and surrounded by sand dunes.

I’ve spent the past several years researching his journey— retracing portions of his route and working in archives across Europe and Africa—and I’m humbled, honored and excited to be a part of bringing the story of this complex man to life for readers.

An old sepia-tone photograph of a man with a beard and hat riding a bicycle next to a tent in a natural outdoor setting with trees and bushes.
A black mountain bike lying on its side in the red dirt of a dry, open landscape with sparse trees and bushes.

As I complete the project, I’m currently living and working in Poznan as Fulbright Writer-in-Residence at Adam Mickiewicz University, and I invite you to follow along and stay tuned here for updates on publications, readings, and more.

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Open book resting on a blue seat next to a window on a bus or train, with sunlight shining through the window and part of the outside landscape visible.
A man wearing glasses and a checkered blazer is standing at a podium with the U.S. Embassy seal. Behind him are the American flag and a white and red flag, with a backdrop featuring floral and bird illustrations and a poster celebrating 250 years of American independence.
A man taking a selfie in front of a mountain lake with snow-capped mountains and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
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Map of Africa with a red dashed line marking Kazimierz Nowak's 1936 journey route, passing through countries like Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa, with specific cities and regions labeled.

Contact

If you’re interested in learning more about me and my previous work, check out my About page.

If you’re interested in receiving updates on upcoming events and future publications, please sign up or follow along with some of my adventures on Instagram.