Can anyone recommend some good Italian authors?

February 12, 2008 10:47am CST
I recently (well a few months ago) started reading Italian fiction, so far I've read Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino and Guiseppe Genna. Are there any more that someone could recommend to me? I really love the playfulness of all three of these.
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3 responses
piggybank
@piggybank (57)
•
13 Feb 08
I read a book by Elio Vittorini as well, which I liked very much, but since I read it in Italian, I won't know the title in English (the title in Italian translates to "Conversations in Sicily" so it might be something similar). I'm more into Italian films and music to be honest... my favourite director, Pier Paolo Pasolini, has also written some books about sub-cultures in Rome at the 60s. I know of people who read the books and they enjoyed them, so it may be worth a try :)
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Foxfire1875
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
•
14 Feb 08
I'll have a look for that piggybank, good to see you here :) I do love italian films as well, my favourite all time one is 'Mediterraneo', have you seen it?
piggybank
@piggybank (57)
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14 Feb 08
Now that I had time to think more about it, you might also like Alberto Moravia. Haven't had the chance to read any of his books just yet, but I've seen a movie by Bertolucci which was made from one of his books (that is before Bertolucci started to make his big Hollywood blockbusters) and I liked it. The book is called Il Conformista in Italian (might that be The Conformist in English? Very likely!) And yes, I've seen Mediterraneo and loved it as well - it was quite big in Greece because it's based there and there's a Greek actress in it as well. As I love many Italian films it would be hard to choose my favourite...
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piggybank
@piggybank (57)
•
14 Feb 08
Now that I had time to think more about it, you might also like Alberto Moravia. Haven't had the chance to read any of his books just yet, but I've seen a movie by Bertolucci which was made from one of his books (that is before Bertolucci started to make his big Hollywood blockbusters) and I liked it. The book is called Il Conformista in Italian (might that be The Conformist in English? Very likely!) And yes, I've seen Mediterraneo and loved it as well - it was quite big in Greece because it's based there and there's a Greek actress in it as well. As I love many Italian films it would be hard to choose my favourite...
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kiiizu
@kiiizu (1901)
• Estonia
14 Feb 08
Once upon a time I liked very much... have no idea how the title could be in English... In Italian it's "Todo modo", in Estonian "Igati", perhaps in English it could be "In all ways"? by Leonardo Sciascia. A movie is made after this novel but IMDB didn't help me either, there the only title given is also Todo Modo.
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Foxfire1875
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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14 Feb 08
Thanks kiiizu, I'll add that to my list and as I've never heard of the movie, I'll check that out as I also love italian films. :)
opinione
@opinione (749)
• Italy
13 Feb 08
I can suggest you, and not necessarily in this order: Contemporary/Moderns Carlo Emilio Gadda Elio Vittorini Festa Campanile Aldo Palazzeschi There are good translations into English of these Authors, but -if possible for you- it would be better if you can read them in Italian, since their usage of our language can't be obviuosly rednered in a translation. good bye
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Foxfire1875
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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14 Feb 08
Thanks opione but I can't speak/read italian so I'll try the translations, I've often thought when I've read translated books that a lot of what the author meant has been lost. Ithink I'll see if I can learn to start with Italian as they're my favourite books at the moment.