Head Above Water (City Lights Italian Voices) (Paperback)

by Stefano Bortolussi (Author), Anne Milano Appel (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Cardo Mariano is a successful Italian writer afflicted with a typical male problem--fear of commitment. When Sol, Cardo's pregnant lover, uncovers his dalliance with another woman, she makes the decision to return to Norway while Cardo remains in Italy to confront his issues. The guilt of his drowned brother has shaped his psyche since childhood and seems to be the source of his obsessive-compulsive behavior--which persists despite years of therapy. Cardo sorts out his past by writing--first through e-mails to Sol, then through an upcoming novel about the political activism of Italy in the 1970s, loosely based on his own childhood. As his past surges forward into the present, he discovers the fate of his long-lost father, and upon returning to Sol, he finds the forgiveness and the stability he has always sought. This is an extremely engaging story about fear and longing, about creating a new life from the ashes of an old one, revealing that the answers we seek are often right in front of us. Michael Spinella
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"This is an extremely engaging story about fear and longing, about creating a new life from the ashes of an old one, revealing that the answers we seek are often right in front of us." – Booklist -- Review

Middle-aged writer awkwardly attempts to make peace with his past... Very deftly handled... Bortolussi's debut has a light touch. -- KIRKUS REVIEWS, September 15, 2003

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Product Details

• Paperback: 182 pages
• Publisher: City Lights Publishers (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087286426X
• ISBN-13: 978-0872864269
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,309,036 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic writing! What a treat., December 3, 2003

By	Jeff (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I had been pining for a new book. What a great read. Obviously written by a fine writer, (as opposed to someone with a story first, writing second). Fun, great writing, vocabulary, use of metaphor, twisting timeline, historical references, interesting, varied settings, snappy dialogue, internal conflict, a-typical characters but a univeral theme, must have really kicked ass in Italian. I really enjoyed it. The part about the younger brother was a bit rough, and I could see it coming based on the Greek Mythology reference. Stretched out the pain that you knew was just around the corner.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Staying Afloat, April 12, 2004

By	"samantha45" (Mill Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

If you are as fascinated as I am by the complexities of the human psyche, you will enjoy this poignant and humorous study of the interior life of a man in turmoil. If you are enticed by the idea of going along for a somewhat wild ride with an Italian male of a certain age who is forced to adjust to evolving perceptions of what is important in life, you will probably love this book as much as I did. The novel explores the heart and mind of a middle-aged Italian writer as he attempts to cope with the news that he is about to become a father, largely by focusing on, and trying to revive, his youthful past. Once you've started the book, you will quickly understand why Anne Milano Appel recently won the prestigious Northern California Book Award for her English translation of poet and playwright Bortolussi's first novel. Milano Appel masterfully grasps and skillfully presents all of the subtleties and contradictions of the protagonist's internal struggle as he battles the twin fears of responsibility and loss.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bortolussi does more than keep his head above water..., February 25, 2004

By	"nederick" (Brentwood, NH USA) - See all my reviews

This is a wonderfully deft treatment of a delicate topic. A man coming into middle age subtly being manipulated by anxieties he doesn't understand, struggles to keep his head above water. His fear is not the extrinsic variety we so often feel in modern life, but a pervasive almost indescribable angst anchored in a tragic moment in his past but shadowing him in his present life. Cardo, the main character, must find a way to come to terms with his fear in order to keep his marriage afloat. Blessed with a wise spouse, in Sol, he is given the space and time he needs. But he charts a most amusing course through this maze of confused emotions.

High recommended. This is an impressive debut in English (translated from his Italian novel) for this well-know Italian Poet, commentator and translator. Bravo Bortolussi!