The article discusses the reciprocal interpretation of biography and literature. The subject of analysis is the biography of Jan Darowski, a writer associated for many years with the literary group „Kontynenty”. The past evoked in Darowski’s memoirs has a hierarchic structure – apart from the longer time sections constituting the framework for stories, shorter sections appear (e.g. events measured in days, weeks, months), which are complemented by episodes essential for the author. Darowski’s biography shows the tragedy of people who, similarly to the writer, got entangled in history and becomes a proper context for interpreting senses included in his works.