Conversations in Sicily
by Elio Vittorini
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Book Summary Information
Author: Elio VittoriniTranslator: Alane Salierno Mason
Foreword: Ernest Hemingway
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2000-11
ISBN: 0811214559
Number of pages: 144
Publisher: New Directions
Book Reviews of Conversations in Sicily
Book Review: A Curious Read
Summary: 3 Stars
Italio Calvino, the great Italian neo-realist author wrote that Vittorini's "Conversations in Sicily" was 'the book-Guernica'.
As a testament to time and place, giving the reader an appreciation of the anti-fascist sentiments of the author, this is a solid book. I'm sure it has its place in university courses on 20th Century Italian history. As a work of literature, I feel it is somewhat secondary.
Vittorini's prose is lively, it moves and swirls, it has a vibrant rhythm. It is like Opera with its use of verbal repetitions. The world is quite rustic and at times, a little absurd - especially when he describes the two men on the train. He calls them 'With Whiskers' and 'Without Whiskers'.
Sometimes I found Vittorini's repetitions a little too distracting. What I mean is that the character will say "There's no cheese like ours" several times on his journey back to Sicily. I will admit, I found it a little annoying. There is also repetition in conversation. Characters will say the same thing over and over again in conversation. I found myself just skipping over some pages because of this.
It is difficult being critical of a work translated from another language. In English, we reference the English language, the books we have read in English, whether written by English authors or translated into English. Maybe in Italian literature, this book has a revered place we can only understand if we studied Italian. As a work in English, I found it mildly entertaining. Some books are great because they are both artistic and timeless. They stand alone because they appeal to the universal in every epoch. If this book wasn't written by an anti-fascist writer in the 1930's, if it had been written last year or in the decade after fascism, I doubt it would make an impact. It is a good read. It is different, playful but it didn't strike me as being powerful within its own right.
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