Jerzy Pilch "not surprised" at winning Poland's leading literary award

Poland's most prestigious literary award has this year been won by Jerzy Pil ch for his novel "Pod Mocnym Aniolem". This was the fourth time Pilch had be en nominated for a Nike award, and the third time one of his books had made it to the final round of judging. Commenting on his victory, Pilch said that in principle he was not surprised, explaining that he remembered how at the Nike 1998 gala, Nobel prize-winner Czeslaw Milosz said to him, "Sir, do not be so upset. You will get it next year." The award and the zl.90,000 prize m oney were handed to Pilch by the awards' two founders, president of Nicom Co nsulting Henryka Bochniarz, and editor-in-chief of Gazeta Wyborcza Adam Mich nik. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1; Rzeczpospolita, p. A16) P.J.