“‘Oscar and the Lady in Pink’ is a book that shows that even in the most difficult moments, what people need most of all is closeness, conversation, and the feeling that they are not alone,” says Bartosz Adamski, a student at the University of Warsaw and the protagonist of the next episode of the fifth series of “Read with the UW”.

Bartosz Adamski is a second-year journalism student at the Faculty of Journalism, Information, and Book Studies at the University of Warsaw. He is active in the UW Students’ Council and with the student television station Uniwerek.TV. He was the host of the UW’s Juwenalia in 2025 and 2026.

Since October 2025, Bartosz Adamski has served as deputy editor-in-chief of the university television station Uniwerek.TV.

Coming to terms with transience

Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s novel “Oscar and the Lady in Pink” is one of the most moving contemporary stories about coming of age, illness and coming to terms with the passing of time.

“It’s a book that, on the one hand, is very sad, but on the other, offers a great deal of warmth and hope. It shows that even in the most difficult circumstances, life can be full of meaningful emotions, relationships and beautiful experiences,” says Bartosz Adamski.

“Oscar and the Lady in Pink” is the story of a ten-year-old boy suffering from leukaemia. Oscar is in hospital and gradually begins to realise that the treatment is not working. He feels lonely and lost because the adults around him avoid honest conversations about illness and death.

A turning point comes when he meets the Lady in Pink – a volunteer who visits children in hospital. She suggests an unusual game to Oscar: each passing day is to represent ten years of life. Thanks to this, over the course of a dozen or so days, the boy symbolically lives through his entire life – from childhood, through youth and adulthood, right up to old age.

“It’s a very simple, yet incredibly clever idea. Thanks to this game, Oscar begins to look at his life differently and appreciate every moment more,” emphasises Bartosz Adamski.

Letters to God

Lady in Pink also encourages the boy to write letters to God. In his letters, Oscar describes his emotions, daily events, and his relationships with his parents and other children in the hospital. He writes about fear and anger, but also about joy, falling in love and a sense of humour. It is thanks to these letters that he begins to come to terms with his own emotions and speak openly about things he was previously unable to express.

Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s novel tackles the difficult themes of illness, suffering and mortality, yet it is also a story of friendship, empathy and the need for human connection. The author presents the world from a child’s perspective, making the story deeply authentic and emotional.

“This relationship really moves me. The Lady in Pink doesn’t try to lie to Oscar or force him to feel better; she really listens to him and takes him seriously. I think that’s precisely why this story feels so real,” says Bartosz Adamski.

The book also shows how important honesty is in relationships with loved ones. Oscar’s parents are unable to talk to their son about his health because they themselves cannot cope with their own fear and suffering. It is only thanks to the Lady in Pink that the boy regains a sense of peace and security.

“‘Oscar and the Lady in Pink’ reminds us that sometimes it is the simple gestures that matter most: a conversation, simply being there, time spent together. It is a book that teaches sensitivity and stays with the reader for a long time,” says Bartosz Adamski, adding: “Let’s not be afraid to live. Let’s celebrate every moment as if it were our last. I hope that, on many occasions throughout our lives, we can all say, to paraphrase Goethe: ‘Beautiful moment, do not pass away!’”

Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt was born on 28th March 1960 in France. He is a writer, playwright and philosopher, the author of numerous bestselling novels and plays. “Oscar and the Lady in Pink,” published in 2002, is part of “Le Cycle de l’invisible” (“Invisible Cycle”) – a series of books devoted to spirituality and the most important questions concerning human life.

Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s book “Oscar and the Lady in Pink” is available at the University of Warsaw Library in the Language. Literature P-Q section.