Reading Acorss Italy

[Dark Muse]

I hate to be redundant but I was inspired by my Reading Across America project to do something similar with Italy as well.

Why Italy?

For a few reasons.

It is part of my own heritage, I have actually been to Italy once before, and because of its art, and History, and culture I love reading books set in the Italian landscape and so I would love to explore the many different regions of Italy in writing.

I am choosing books based on the regions of Italy. There will be less books to read than my American list, but some areas might be harder to find books for. But I think it will prove interesting.

So here is my perspective list thus far:

Books I already own

Lombardia (Milan) - The Da Vinci Legacy
Veneto (Venice) - In the Company of the Courtesan
Tuscany (Florence) - The Palace or The Enchantress of Florence
Lazio (Rome) First Man of Rome, or Indigo, or The Borgia Bride, or The Family

Books I do not presently have but am interested in


Liguria - The Baron in the Trees
Marche (Urbino) - The Flight of the Falcon
Sicily - The Leopard or The Sicilian Romance
Campania (Pompeii) - The Last Days of Pompeii

[JBI]

For Milan, and Lombardi in general, Manzoni's I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed) is a must. That is probably the most important Italian novel, and certainly the most read.

[Dark Muse]

Thank you, I will keep that in mind

[Alexander III]

For Milan, and Lombardi in general, Manzoni's I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed) is a must. That is probably the most important Italian novel, and certainly the most read.

This is true. Every Italian high-school student knows Manzoni, I do not think there is such a similar thing in the english speaking world, well yes everyone studies Shakespeare but In Italy Everyone studies Dante like in England and America they study Shakespere.

But the Milan which Manzoni depicts is that of the late 1600's; if you would like 20th century depictions from Italians My personal recommendations would be Pirandello (which virtually every Italian cultured youth admires), if you enjoy Decadent works, D'annunzio's Novels are set in the aristocratic circles of turn of the century Rome, and his depictions are consistently beautiful.

For poetry Ungaretti is my personal favorite.

Ungaretti, D'Annunzio and Pirandello; were all fascists however. If you would like something more on the left end spectrum, as I suppose for many foreigners the right-wing beliefs and the loathing of democracy which many of Italy's finest 20th century writers took to be a normal mindset amongst intellectualls may be uncomfortable; There Pier Paolo Pasolini whose novels are set amongst the poorest of poor in 1950's Rome, he is a good writer, something like Italy's equivalent to nelson Algren.

Also in the name of all that is beautiful read the leopard, it is fantastic!

[LitNetIsGreat]

Great thread. I like to read some of this as well. I've Amazoned the names given and these Pirandello short stories sound like the translations are good:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eleven-Short-Stories-Dual-Language-Book/dp/0486280918/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1356096051&sr=8-8

[Charles Darnay]

Sciascia's Wine-Dark Sea is a great Sicilian based collection of short stories.

[Dark Muse]

I am quite enjoying the recommendations. They sound quite interesting

[PeterL]

You might want to read Foucault's Pendulum by Eco mainly Piedmont but othere places.

You should look at the Aurelio Zen crime novels by Dibden. I don't remmebr how many there are, but they are set in various places in Italy. Aurelio Zen is in an organization that investigates crime all over Italy. I have only read the one set in Venice.

[Dark Muse]

You might want to read Foucault's Pendulum by Eco mainly Piedmont but othere places.


I actually already read that one some time ago, and I loved it. It is a great book. I am a fan of Eco.

[stlukesguild]

Alex... what of Montale...? Goldini? Verga? Saba? Pavese? Campana? Landolfi? Federigo Tozzi?

[Corona]

Besides the obvious references - Petrarca, Dante, Leopardi, Manzoni Boccaccio - the likes of Montale, Ungaretti, Foscolo, Svevo, Gozzano and Pascoli are all very important. Poets such as Calogero or Campana are to be read, as well, although not as famous as the previous ones. Also, Gadda is another amazing writer! And I'm yet to read writers as Ariosto or Tasso...

[miyako73]

Has anyone read the works of Luigi Pirandello. I like how the titles of his works--plays and novels-- read. What do you recommend?

Una boccata d'aria (A Breath of Air)
L'Uomo dal Fiore in Bocca (The Man with the Flower In His Mouth)
La Vita che ti Diedi (The Life I Gave You)
Il Piacere dell'Onestà (The Pleasure Of Honesty)
Vestire gli Ignudi (Clothing The Naked)

[Alexander III]

Alex... what of Montale...? Goldini? Verga? Saba? Pavese? Campana? Landolfi? Federigo Tozzi?

Of those you mention I have only read Verga and Pavese; the former I found to be an interesting imitation of Zola and the latter to be good but nothing exceptional; however I have only read one of Pavese's novels and none of his poetry and he I have been told was a greater poet.

I only recommended authors above whom I have read amply and deeply admire. Were Dark merely looking for a list I figured wikipedia would always best me.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

...Also in the name of all that is beautiful read the leopard, it is fantastic!

Thanks for that. You just struck a personal chord.
As I was reading through this thread, I was about to mention The Leoapard, not that I've read it, but I happen to have a copy inherited from my parents library.
The copy I have is translated by Archibald Colquhoun; Pantheon Books New York 1960.
I'll move this up in the "to read" list.

[Volya]

I'm not sure where in Italy he is from, but surely Machiavelli's 'The Prince' is a must-read if you're reading across Italy.

[Buh4Bee]

If I had to pick a country to read across I think I'd go for France first, then Italy. But I think reading across a continent is a great idea as well. DM, you have a lot of reading ahead of you.

[Charles Darnay]

Has anyone read the works of Luigi Pirandello. I like how the titles of his works--plays and novels-- read. What do you recommend?

Una boccata d'aria (A Breath of Air)
L'Uomo dal Fiore in Bocca (The Man with the Flower In His Mouth)
La Vita che ti Diedi (The Life I Gave You)
Il Piacere dell'Onestà (The Pleasure Of Honesty)
Vestire gli Ignudi (Clothing The Naked)

If you want excellent Pirandello, go with Henry IV