HUNTING THE BOGEYMAN

HUNTING THE BOGEYMAN

Nov 23, 2024 | BOOKS

Caccia all’uomo nero Hunting the Bogeyman published by Pav Edizioni: the latest read for which I thank the author Sabino Napolitano and Mari Manual. 

Undoubtedly a striking title: ‘the bogeyman’ is a figure we often learn about from childhood.

The first meaning that the Treccani attributes to him is exactly: imaginary man, with a frightening appearance, who is used as a threat to keep children quiet.

Have you ever heard yourself say such a phrase?

As one grows up, one learns that in reality who we have to fear is not an imaginary figure, however dark and gloomy he may be.

What could be the personification of the bogeyman in your opinion?

Sabino tells us his own through a story that starts with a disappearance.

The investigation leads to a shortlist of hypothetical suspects who could be ‘the bogeyman’ in perhaps a more literal than figurative sense.

The writing gives the reader a glimpse of reality and describes the everyday life of Bari, which could however be the everyday life of the place where each of us lives.

I appreciated the realism through which the author tells the story, leading the reader to the way in which the Bogeyman Hunt ends.

I report the book among the winners of Giallo Festival for best supporting character.

Can you tell me which character is the protagonist of your fears? 

NIRVANA UNPLUGGED

NIRVANA UNPLUGGED

Nov 2, 2024 | BOOKS, MOVIES, BOOKS, MOVIES, MUSIC, MUSIC, ROCK, ROCK

Nirvana unplugged in New York, often known as MTV unplugged is first and foremost a high moment in music history to me.

For our very first chat here on the blog, almost five years ago now, I told you about the cardigan Kurt Cobain wore during the recording of this live show.

Then over time we talked a lot about music but never came back to what is really one of the most important memories for me.

First of all it is the memory of an emotion: the first time I listened to Come as you are without even getting to the end I was convinced that I would never like another song again.

Come as you are is perhaps the only one of Nirvana’s most popular songs, performed even during unplugged, I think precisely because of its characteristic intense intimacy.

But every single song performed during MTV unplugged is beautiful.

The cover of The Man Who Sold the World in my opinion beats even the White Duke.

Where did you sleep last night is poignant to the point of almost materialising Kurt’s suffering.

And then Dumb, About a Girl, Pennyroyal Tea … which is your favourite?

Sadly released posthumously Unplugged in New York with every listen reminds us of the pain and loss of an artist who would now be a grandfather, as his Frances Bean became mother to Ronin at the end of September.

Many tales and anecdotes about 18 November 1993 chase each other all over the place, but what we can all still see is Kurt arriving, and after a simple ‘Good evening’ he introduces About a girl by attacking his guitar ride.

The rest is magic, atmosphere, white flowers, candles, drapes and soft lights, like metaphorical arms that welcome us into an immersion of music and sensations, simplicity and depth at the same time, where everything else is stripped away, the whole world is outside, where all that counts is the lightness of a faint breath destined to fade away but which in reality can only remain engraved in the memory forever.

Extreme vulnerability yet disruptive power.

Nirvana Unplugged is one of the gifts I cherish, it is 30 years old today and yet I’m never tired of listening to it again.

I treasure it along with Kurt Cobain Diaries

Nirvana unplugged

and Montage of Heck, which I saw at the cinema earlier anyway.

Nirvana unplugged

On the off chance that you’ve missed something, I recommend catching up: I find it indispensable to understand the deep torment of a Soul torn between the love of music and the pain of life.

I wish I was like you
Easily amused
Find my nest of salt
Everything is my fault

I’ll take all the blame
Aqua seafoam shame

THE BARD AND THE QUEEN

THE BARD AND THE QUEEN

Oct 5, 2024 | BOOKS, BOOKS

The Bard and the Queen is the book I received as a gift from my aunt and uncle, written by Paola Zannoner, known for writing many books for children, and published by DeA Planeta.

Paola Zannoner has a WordPress blog and the first thing she says about herself is that she lives in Florence.

I imagine that living in cities of art can confer the privilege of having an immense source of inspiration.

And it is the subject of inspiration that I would like to put to you, starting with this book.

I would say that there is no need to explain what a story entitled The Bard and the Queen could possibly be about.

I don’t know about you, but I have a particular fondness for Shakespeare.

I started reading the bilingual books, remember them? Every page had the text in the language opposite.

Il Bardo e la Regina

Back in the glorious days, which as you know I often quote, finding ways to learn languages was not a click away, and these books offered the possibility of having the translation available simultaneously, a bit like today’s online translators, and I point out ‘just a bit’ 🙂

Given that it is certainly not easy to choose, do you have a favourite work among all that Shakespeare has left us?

The book The Bard and the Queen mentions some of them in the course of our William’s life, explaining how they came about, that is, from the events that one day after another make up what is a person’s journey.

Do you think this is necessarily so?

I mean: can one write well about something one does not know?

Did Shakespeare live in the shoes of his characters?

Reading this book I visualised all the time the faces of the performers in the film Shakespeare in love.

But while my imagination did not particularly run to the faces, this book has in my opinion the merit of being sensory.

Smell.

The writer’s meticulous research focused my attention on the olfactory sense, succeeding in describing the atmosphere of a London that is not usually considered in this respect.

Have you ever read a book that was able to materialise one of the five senses?

L’ARMINUTA

L’ARMINUTA

Sep 14, 2024 | BOOKS, BOOKS

L’arminuta by Donatella di Pietrantonio published by Einaudi is yet another book for which I thank Monica.

Arminuta is a dialect word from Abruzzo and means ‘comeback’.

Comeback, arminuta in fact, is the nickname given to the protagonist of the book that won the 2017 Campiello Prize. 

The Campiello Prize is a literary award by entrepreneurs from the Veneto region and conceived by Edilio Rusconi when he wasn’t yet publisher in 1963.

Campielli are actually small camps, or squares, typical in Venice. 

The trophy that is awarded to the winning book is in the shape of the characteristic ‘vera da pozzo’ that is often found in the centre of campielli (small squares) for the supply of water, in particular inspired by the vera da pozzo of San Trovaso in the Dorsoduro district.

The story of L’arminuta also inspired director Giuseppe Bonito.

The film starring Sofia Fiore and Carlotta De Leonardis was presented at the 2021 Film Festival in Rome and is distributed by Lucky Red.

This trailer shows me images that are very different from what I imagined when I read about them.

Have you seen the movie?

What do you think about?

The author: Donatella di Pietrantonio also won the David di Donatello Prize in 2022 for best non-original screenplay.

This ‘comeback’ forces the reader to reconsider the concept of mother.

Mothers.

I told you about someone who had two as Americo Marino and how they both embodied the true essence of being a mother.

Now I tell you about someone who has had two different dropouts.

But the concept of motherhood is so extensive and interconnected with innate love that it can also be expressed in a small, tiny Woman.

And where life deprives of maternal affection, life can give a sister.

“My sister. Like an unlikely flower, grown on a small lump of earth attached to the rock. From her I learned endurance. Now we are less alike in our features, but it is the same sense we find in this being thrown into the world. In complicity we are saved.”

CITIES THAT READ THE MOST

CITIES THAT READ THE MOST

Aug 24, 2024 | BOOKCROSSING, BOOKCROSSING, BOOKS, BOOKS

Which cities read the most? 

A ranking compiled annually by Amazon. 

Milan is in first place, but I am very proud that Pavia is in second place!

Second place but three books: between one coffee and another, it’s been a long time since I did any bookcrossing. 

In case you missed it, I’ll post the description here:
I hope that it could be a good idea for you as well: if you can be interested in the book you find in the category, all you have to do is to let me know where to deliver it. I don’t ask anything in return for me, but I would suggest using the concept shown in the movie “Pay it forward”: I would like you to pass a favor on to someone else. Thanks.

First book:

UN GIORNO SOLO by Felicia Yap Piemme Editions.

A Day Alone is all about the protagonist born from Felicia Yap’s pen, considered the publishing case of the year and praised by many leading international publications.

Second book:

STRONZE SI NASCE by Felicia Kingsley, Newton Compton Publishers.

Yes: same name. Felicia Kingsley however in this case is a pseudonym, the author’s real name is Serena Artioli. Her first novel, initially self-published, was so successful that it led her to this caustically titled novel.

Third book:

FESTA DI FAMIGLIA by Sveva Casati Modignani Edizioni Sperling & Kupfer.

The author doesn’t need to be introduced, but I will say of Family Feast that it is set in Milan.
The first chapter begins like this: It was the beginning of December.

In case you would like to read one of these books, you can send me an email or a private message on the social networking site of your choice.

Books are in Italian language.

Which cities read the most and then pay it forward?
We will find out together.

Enjoy your reading and THANK YOU in advance.

HABITAT

HABITAT

Aug 10, 2024 | BOOKS, ENVIRONMENT

Habitat: the natural environment in which an animal or plant usually lives.

Here, I was thinking that I would like to see a series like ‘animals in their habitat’ instead of The Animals in my zoo.

No doubt it is very important that children learn about animals, but why the zoo?

The advertisement says that the characters were developed by a team of pedagogues.

Now, I am nobody, but wouldn’t it be nice to teach the concept of habitat?

Besides, it would also be very useful for geography.
Do you think kids know geography properly?

Zoos are becoming facsimiles – or perhaps caricatures – of how animals once were in their natural habitat.
Michael J Fox

Going back to the series, have you ever collected editions in weekly or otherwise periodical issues?

Are you the patient type who likes to wait and see your collection grow slowly and progressively?

Or rather do you prefer to search independently from bookshop to bookshop for the volumes that interest you?

Precision or inspiration?

Talk about creative ability:
Evolution is so creative. That’s how we got giraffes.
Kurt Vonnegut

Photo by BiancaVanDijk

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