Eat, pray, love - Elizabeth Gilbert.

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I finally caved in, bought this book (in english) and read it.

I have to say - it was not an easy reading. And not because the language was difficoult (it's actually very easy to read from the language point of view - it's a nice, colloquial english). But because it costed me a lot of effort to identify in the main character, who happens to be the writer. 

I know, she is talking of her own experience, not mine. But she is doing things so differently that I'd have done, that at the beginning I wasn't able to read more than few pages at the time.

I especially loathed the part about Rome. Not because she says anything wrong or bad about Rome or Italy. She actually makes smart and educated observations. It's just that for a native it's extremely difficoult to hear a foreigner talking about his/her homeland.

But I got over it and went on with my reading.

And at the end, I liked the book. I like that the author is not afraid to show her weaknesses. That she meets so many helpful persons along her way. That she experiences pleasure then ascetism then finds balance between the two. That at the end she learns a bit more to let go. And that she concludes the voice that came to her at the beginning, and prompted her to do something (which in that specific case was just to go to bed), was her own voice. Meaning, she had all the wisdom she needed from the beginning, even though it took an year of travelling to recognize it.

I learned quite a lot from the book, aside from the story. I have never been too interested to eastern cultures, mainly out of lazyness. And it seems to me the author does a good job in helping us approach them without making them hostile.

At the end, yes, I'd suggest/give it to a friend.

Io e Te - Niccolò Ammaniti

This is such a different novel from Ammaniti’s previous one – Che La Festa Cominci.

It’s a more intimistic, melancholic story. It starts with a potentially funny premise: an adolescent who never fitted in with the other boys his age, neither wanted to, from a good (rich-ish) family tells his parents he’s going skying with the cool gang in school, but instead hides in the cellar, where he had set everything up for a week’s stay. But something happens, someone asks for his help, and he has to re-evaluate all of his opinions on life, family, fitting in.

I don’t want to reveal more, because it’s such a beautiful little novel that I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. It’s well worth reading it.



Questo è un romanzo così diverso dal precedente dello stesso Ammaniti – Che La Festa Cominci.

E’ una storia più intima e melanconica. L’incipit fa pensare ad uno sviluppo divertente: un adolescente, che non si è mai integrato con i suoi compagni – né lo ha mai voluto – di buona famiglia, dice ai genitori che sta partendo per la settimana bianca con alcuni suoi compagni un po’ “fighetti”, ma in realtà si nasconde nella cantina, preparata con tutto l’occorrente per l’occasione. Ma qualcosa succede, qualcuno gli chiede aiuto, e il protagonista dovrà rivedere le sue convinzioni a proposito di vita, famiglia, dell’integrarsi.

Non voglio svelare di più, perché è un racconto così bello che non ho voglia di rovinarlo. Merita decisamente di essere letto.

Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby

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It is the story of a British couple who has been together for years, probably out of laziness. It’s the story of a singer who was once famous, then decided to stop singing, and years later is trying to figure out where his life has gone, and how to make something out of the time he still has to live.

The two stories intersect, and what comes out is a funny and witty novel. I liked the fact that every character (even the minor ones) is so well described, that one cannot like a little each of them (even supponent Duncan), that it talks about music, about life, about purpose, without becoming philosophical.

It is probably the book I enjoyed the most from Hornby. It goes on lightly, but makes you think.

Jacaré - Luìs Sepùlveda

I am a fan of all latin american literature (and I am madly in love for George Amado, but you won't see any comments on his books here because I have already read them all... but I digress), and Sepulveda is one of the reasons why. I like how,when he talk about his country, you can feel the love for it in every single word!.

This book is composed of two short stories, Jacaré is the first of them. It takes place in a foggy Milan, but the story originates from  South-South America, and, behind the plot there is the story of an almost extinct tribe of indios. It'sad and melancholic, and it makes you doubt all the values that are foundamental in western society.

The other stoy takes place in South America, where the main character is an Indio himself. It is easy to read, interesting, and has a surprise ending that makes you smile and believe that maybe sometimes, just sometimes, it's not the bullies who win it all.