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Which your favorite Italian writers? Answer only for NOT ITALIANS, please.

― Bed, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I've just finished 'Contempt' by Alberto Moravia, and I thought it was terrific, and would like to read more by him. It reminds me of Proust(the obsessive need to pin feelings down exactly, also the perfect similes which actually help you understand what the narrator is trying to say). So on the basis of one book, I'll say Moravia

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

The only two whose work sticks in my memory are Dante and Umberto Eco. They are both among the best writers I have ever read. I have read some Italo Calvino (a novella or two), too, but either he or I must have had a bad day; I don't even remember the title(s) of what I read.

And then, of course, there is Ezra Pound, whose work I enjoy, though I doubt that Italy would own him these days.

― SRH (Skrik), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I second Alberto Moravia and Italo Calvino. I love both of them, and god bless NYRB for bringing Moravia's books back into print.

― Jessa (Jessa), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Calvino, Tabucchi, Eco, Svevo, Leopardi, Buzzati, di Lampedusa, Pirandello and whomever wrote the book of all the Totti jokes.

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Italo Calvino's "On a Winter's Night a Traveler," Torquato Tasso's "Jerusalem Delivered," Dacia Maraini's "The Silent Duchess," Franco Ferrucci's "The Life of God: As Told by Himself," and Luigi Pirandello's "Six Characters in Search of an Author"

― Sara L (Tara Too), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 17:47 (twenty-one years ago)

No mentions yet for the Italian author I would have most expected to see on this thread (who I like a lot, btw)

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Calvino yes, Primo Levi has written brilliant entertainment and potent autobiographical works, Eco is maybe nearly as good as his rep, Lampedusa's Leopard is great, Boccaccio's Decameron is terrific, and I like Svevo and Moravia too.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Joe Kay,

Who?

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Di Lampedusa, certainly. 'The Leopard' is one of my favorite books of the last century. Yet ten posts into the thread, and no Dante...

― M Specktor, Thursday, 15 April 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Someone mentioned Dante further up.

All Leonardo Sciascia's political-philosophical crime thrillers are excellent, as is his account of the Aldo Moro affair. Carlo Levi- though I've only read 'Christ Stopped at Eboli'. Manzoni spins a hell of a yarn in 'The Betrothed'.

Yes to Primo Levi, Eco, Boccaccio, Lampedusa, Moravia. Svevo- Meh. Didn't get far with Confessions of Zeno. Maybe I'll give that another whirl sometime. Calvino I think I will never 'get'. Just seems to me like Borges with far less wit and intellectual exuberance.

― Lord Byron Lived Here, Thursday, 15 April 2004 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Italiani,

What does the press think of Tabucchi in Italy?

― Michael White (Hereward), Thursday, 15 April 2004 20:53 (twenty-one years ago)

mentions yet for the Italian author I would have most expected to see on this thread (who I like a lot, btw)

I meant Primo Levi

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Friday, 16 April 2004 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Hurrah, I won then!

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Friday, 16 April 2004 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

What's your favourite drama writer?

― c87, Saturday, 17 April 2004 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Roberto Calasso is HOTT> The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony and/or The Ruins of Kasch makes me sweat!

― s.p. morrissey, Saturday, 17 April 2004 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Michael White about Tabucchi.

His "Sostiene Pereira" had good press and good sale, some years ago (1994).
Tabucchi has a deep bond with Portugal (as far as I know, he still teaches Portuguese Literature at the Univ. of Siena) and Pessoa works.

You ask about the press… Hmm… It depends on the press. Some months ago he had a hard quarrel with a famous Italian journalist because of his (Tabucchi's) strong position against Berlusconi. Yes, Berlusconi is even a publisher in Italy (newspapers and books)… : so pretty difficult to realize if what you’re reading about Tabucchi is because comes from one side of the field or the other…

― demiurgo, Thursday, 22 April 2004 11:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I second most of the names mentioned above, all of them really. But I have to add Beppe Fenoglio and Eugenio Montale. I'm thrilled that nobody wrote Petrarca...

― Claire (Claire Miccio), Friday, 23 April 2004 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Antonio Tabucchi is well read in Spain and his books highly appreciated. My favorite "La cabeza Perdida de Damasceno Monteiro". I also liked "Piazza d'Italia". Italo Calvino, Primo Levi, Umberto Eco, and since my childhood I have ever loved the italian equivalent to Jules Verne, Emilio Salgari. Could not believe my eyes when I couldn´t find him in the Britannica Encyclopedia and worse, sent them a question about him and answered back that they did not have a clue. ¡Shame!

― Nelly Mc Causland (Geborwyn), Saturday, 1 May 2004 17:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Somebody has to mention Stefano Benni!

― yesimd (yesim), Friday, 7 May 2004 09:24 (twenty-one years ago)

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