The aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly, I present the scholarly book publications patterns of Polish scholars. Secondly, I show how scholarly book publications are assessed in various European research evaluation systems. Moreover, I argue that the diversity of evaluation models depends on the scientific policy aims in a given country. This presentation of European models allows me to discuss a new Polish science policy instrument, that is the list of publishers prepared for the upcoming evaluation exercise in 2021. In 2018, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland implemented a new model of scholarly book publication assessment based on the list of publishers. On the one hand, such a science policy instrument might be a way to appreciate the best quality scholarly books and give them more points than articles in the evaluation exercise. On the other hand, it is a so far unknown instrument which differentiates publications that have been treated the same up to date. Additionally, this paper aims to shed some light on how the new Polish model was prepared.

Ludowa historia Polski. Historia wyzysku i oporu. Mitologia panowania (A People's History of Poland. A history of exploitation and resistance. The mythology of reign) (2020) by Adam Leszc-zyński, met with great interest, both in the academic community and wider reading circles. Re-viewed many times, it was the subject of discussion in scientific periodicals, opinion‑forming press, and on the Internet. In this article, based on published and shared online reviews, debates, discus-sions, etc., I will consider the reasons for the social resonance of the book. I will look at how it was received by members of the Academy (primarily historians and sociologists). Was Did the “new” approach to folk history proposed by Leszczyński meet with their acceptance? How did they evaluate the manner and degree of achievement of the goals set by the author? I will also be interested in assessments of methodological competences, scientific workshop technique and opi-nions on the benefits that science (mainly the humanities) has gained thanks to the author's findings.