tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post3845702580143938834..comments2023-12-24T17:41:42.989-08:00Comments on seraillon: Ennio Flaiano: The Short Cutseraillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-1758045846169923102015-07-27T10:26:24.537-07:002015-07-27T10:26:24.537-07:00I looked for Two Serious Ladies in Severina as wel...I looked for Two Serious Ladies in Severina as well, and couldn't find it. But, I figured that was okay. I'd like to read it all the same, and it's especially fun when there's a book to read with two or more. I just won't mention that we found it in Severina. ;)Bellezza https://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-27394138957104543712015-07-26T20:15:07.004-07:002015-07-26T20:15:07.004-07:00Great - only - I spent some time this afternoon go...Great - only - I spent some time this afternoon going through <i>Severina</i>, and I don't see <i>Two Serious Ladies</i> mentioned anywhere! Either I somehow missed it or it must have been mentioned in another book. We can still read <i>Two Serious Ladies</i>; one can <i>imagine</i> its being on the list of books that do appear in <i>Severina</i>, which is quite long. There's a little something for everyone.seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-17417924029341265302015-07-26T15:52:42.623-07:002015-07-26T15:52:42.623-07:00I located a copy of Two Serious Ladies not for my ...I located a copy of <i>Two Serious Ladies</i> not for my kindle, as I thought, but at least to be delivered in paperback by Amazon in August. I hope it has Claire Messud's introduction which I didn't take time to notice as I was so glad to finally find a copy. <br /><br /> think October would be a marvelous time, and I'll compose an invitation soon. Already I'm looking forward to it!<br /><br />Bellezza https://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-15889169389276284582015-07-26T11:03:24.572-07:002015-07-26T11:03:24.572-07:00Thanks for the info on the Strega books - I'll...Thanks for the info on the Strega books - I'll give them a look.<br /><br />There's a new edition out of <i>Two Serious Ladies</i> with introduction by Claire Messud (I haven't read it). But you can also get the book inside the collected works of Jane Bowles, <i>My Sister's Hand in Mine</i>, which contains quite a bit of other good stuff. <br /><br />How's October for a group read?seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-56351551861530376572015-07-22T16:15:03.179-07:002015-07-22T16:15:03.179-07:00The Strega Prize winners I've read are Quiet C...The Strega Prize winners I've read are Quiet Chaos by Sandro Veronesi, Don't Move by Margaret Mazzantini, I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti and a nomination for the prize entitled Swimming to Elba by Silvia Avallone. They are emotional and gritty to me; I loved them. <br /><br />As for your idea of Two Serious Ladies, wonderful! I've never read it, and of course our library doesn't have it, but I found a copy on Amazon. I'd be glad to put up an invitation if you'd like to read it again with me and others. Have you a preferred month?Bellezza https://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-43409407828321332252015-07-22T12:37:36.067-07:002015-07-22T12:37:36.067-07:00I didn't set out to read winners of the Strega...I didn't set out to read winners of the Strega award, but after stumbling upon three in a row I've starting perusing the list and now have another in progress. I'm curious to know which ones you've read.<br /><br />Just left a response to your <i>Severina</i> proposal. I might well be up for that!seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-5685125420873468392015-07-22T09:45:25.449-07:002015-07-22T09:45:25.449-07:00I have yet to read a winner of the Strega which I ...I have yet to read a winner of the Strega which I did not adore. The books I've read for that prize still resonate within me, I'll pull up a memory from seemingly out of no where so often and dwell on the image, or the thought, the author conveyed. At some point, I would like to read all the Strega winners.<br /><br />How interesting that this fell upon the heels of Contempt, so to speak. Finding threads that connect the literature we read is so fascinating.<br /><br />I mentioned in a return comment to you (imagine, I do reply to comments this summer!) that I would be up for a reading of a title in Severina if you had one you especially liked. To me, they are all unfamiliar; hence my interest in reading one together with you and others who may feel inclined.Bellezza https://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-9536558780357998252015-07-11T21:32:58.868-07:002015-07-11T21:32:58.868-07:00Thanks for the infoThanks for the infoGuy Savagehttp://www.swiftlytiltingplanet.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-79004479579617666602015-07-11T17:42:41.940-07:002015-07-11T17:42:41.940-07:00Guy - I thought of you while reading this novel an...Guy - I thought of you while reading this novel and think you would like it. And of course when I saw your Charles Williams covers I immediately thought of the "sordid" one here - if not the same artist, then certainly the same school. <br /><br />Stuart Hood translated the top edition; I suspect the bottom one is his as well, but don't know for sure. <br /><br />I look forward to reading your thoughts on Verga's stories. I haven't written about him yet, but have now read two collections of stories and his novel <i>I Malavoglia</i>, and relished all of them. seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-37947783143158349692015-07-11T11:05:15.188-07:002015-07-11T11:05:15.188-07:00btw who are the translators for the two versions s...btw who are the translators for the two versions shown?Guy Savagehttp://www.swiftlytiltingplanet.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-70484935510630342692015-07-11T11:01:21.700-07:002015-07-11T11:01:21.700-07:00I'd never heard of this so thanks for the revi...I'd never heard of this so thanks for the review. I've only just scratched the surface of Italian literature--although that said, a collection of Verga short stories just arrived on my doorstep. <br />Love that sordid cover. It wouldn't look out of place next to the Charles Williams series Guy Savagehttp://www.swiftlytiltingplanet.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-58122309130887582312015-07-10T12:48:54.241-07:002015-07-10T12:48:54.241-07:00Thank you so much for your kind words and encourag...Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. Mine is obviously an amateur effort, but I have been greatly impressed by these works and eager to share my enthusiasm for them. It's been a tremendously fruitful exploration; I could not have imagined that a work like <i>The Short Cut</i> even existed. seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-86441574709651641912015-07-10T11:32:48.961-07:002015-07-10T11:32:48.961-07:00I'm a retired professor of Contemporary Europe...I'm a retired professor of Contemporary European Literature with a focus on Italian. I certainly appreciate your efforts to make this rich stream of material more available to an English reading audience. Keep it up!!!! It goes without saying that I enjoy your reviews, comments and book choices.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-86087331119238247892015-07-05T10:06:05.997-07:002015-07-05T10:06:05.997-07:00Thanks, Brian. The themes and plot will be familia...Thanks, Brian. The themes and plot will be familiar, as it's rather a universal story told many times. But I thought it a fine example of that kind of novel. It's a great portrait of a person whose conflict with his own actions leads to increasing complications and dissolution, while at the same time throwing light on the larger conflicts of which he is a part. seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-70407406731310999032015-07-05T10:03:25.376-07:002015-07-05T10:03:25.376-07:00Thanks, Jacqui. I thought it was quite a good book...Thanks, Jacqui. I thought it was quite a good book, and I imagine it had quite an impact when first published in Italy. I don't know the Kitamura novel, but will check it out.<br /><br /><i>Open City</i> is a great (if rather grueling) film. How fortunate you are to have BFI; I've been a couple of times just to browse the bookstore, and each time I've been envious of the schedule. By the way, since writing this post I've discovered that there's an Italian film version of <i>The Short Cut</i> - starring Nicolas Cage, of all people.seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-46406404544433420372015-07-04T08:35:10.807-07:002015-07-04T08:35:10.807-07:00Superb commentary on this one Scott.
The plot as ...Superb commentary on this one Scott.<br /><br />The plot as you describe it sounds eerily familiar to so many real life accounts of war time incidents. These incidents are tragically very common. <br /><br />Based upon your commentary it sounds like the author has infused the realistic account with a lot of meaning and has thrown out lots of ideas along the way.<br /><br />Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-88697248435837672482015-07-04T00:46:32.761-07:002015-07-04T00:46:32.761-07:00Great review, Scott. I was going to ask whether th...Great review, Scott. I was going to ask whether the novel contains a broader message about the folly of colonialism, but you've answered it in your closing comments. (The second quote is very telling, too.) It reminds me a little of Katie Kitamura's novel 'Gone to the Forest' (although the latter is possibly closer to Coetzee's 'Disgrace' than the Flaiano).<br /><br />Your review reminds me that 'Rome, Open City' has been sitting on my DVD rental list for a little while. I wanted to catch it at the BFI when they screened it last year but couldn't make into London at the time. I'll have to bump it up the pile. JacquiWinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16220597283351925721noreply@blogger.com