Roberto Saviano is best known for his work on the Italian mafia, but Beauty and the Inferno, winner of the European Book Award 2010, also tackles universal themes with great insight and humanity, with urgency, and often with anger. This important collection includes essays across a remarkably wide field of interests, celebrating personal heroes as diverse as Frank Miller and Lionel Messi. However as with the bestselling Gomorrah, his fearless and unflinching condemnation of the mafia takes centre stage. Implicit in Saviano's tributes to writers, musicians, sportsmen and journalists is the message that there is an alternative to living in corruption and fear. Beauty and the Inferno is a searing polemic that encompasses Saviano's vision of life and of art, of the good to be found in humanity and the evil inherent in power. His commitment to truth resonates from every page.
Beauty and the Inferno
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
'A man determined to describe the world exactly as he finds it, and in words calculated to rouse the passion of his readers ... Like the greatest of Italian writers, Dante Alighieri, he is above all a moralist who despise those who take no sides in the great struggles of our time' Matthew Hoffman, Independent. 'a sad book in many ways because it illustrates the price that can be paid for courageous writing' Guardian. 'A celebration of bravery and an expression of rage against corruption and cowardice' Caroline Moorehead, T.L.S. 'At once deeply disturbing and illuminating ... a litany of hope' Alan Taylor, Scottish Sunday Herald. 'It is good to be reminded of the raw bravery of the Savianos of this world and to salute them for the sacrifices they have made in their challenges to power' Duncan Campbell, Guardian. 'He is always erudite, prickly and trenchant' Catholic Herald. 'When he tackles the crime lords of southern Italy that his voice soars in a crescendo of outrage ... After reading this, we should all be howling. Somebody might, eventually, hear us' The Irish Times. 'Frank, impassioned and frustrated - these essays from the reporter who lives under threat of death for speaking out against the Italian Mafia put acquiescing bystanders to shame' Sunday Telegraph.
About the Author
Roberto Saviano writes for La Repubblica as well as many newspapers around the world. After the success of Gomorrah, he received several serious death threats that obliged the Italian government to provide him with 24-hour protection. He has been living in hiding since 2006. Oonagh Stransky's translations have twice been nominated for the Dublin IMPAC Award.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Saviano writes with such great passion that he might influence many readers to never visit Italy, at least the South. That would be unfortunate, but sometimes it takes some tough medicine to heal people and places. He obviously is hitting the tender places of malevolent people as he now lives his life in protective custody due to his writing. How he keeps his intensity and sanity is a wonder, but his writing demonstrates that he has done exactly that. Bravo! I am always looking for more from him.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"We discussed...how everything you seem to see is not the real story. How you always end up understanding less of what is happening rather than more."
This excerpt was from a conversation between two journalists, Saviano, and the Italian legend Enzo Biagi. Saviano's thoughts on Biagi fill a chapter in this collection of essays from Saviano's experiences as a journalist --work that would probably never be printed or aired in the United States.
First off, it's important to know that because of his work, Saviano is a wanted man. His journalism doesn't use the typical references to "an unnamed source" or an "anonymous tip". Instead, he fully exposes the names of organizations, politicians, and individuals that are involved with criminal activity in Italy, even if it endangers his life. Thus he's in hiding because of tell-all stories about the mob, and the way his articles explain not only who is committing the crimes, but also the structure of power and the methods (or businesses) they use to manipulate politicians, sell drugs, or launder money.
I'm not sure the difference in legalities that allows for such focused criticism that is relatively unheard of here. Even stating that a suspect is "alleged" is frowned upon here, whereas Italian newspapers can indicate full names and addresses. It makes reading his essays shockingly different from what a US reader may be used to, and makes his living in hiding completely understandable. Many times I had to pause and ask, "can he say that?" Seriously, I would not want to be his bodyguard.
Beyond the exposure though is a real intent to educate citizens in Italy about their government and what is happening around them. In describing Enzo Biagi, as mentioned above, parallels are seen between his goals and that of Saviano's: "Biagi was capable of looking at fragments of the daily news. He examined things bit by bit. He never jumped to a solution, but always advanced slowly...He examined our daily concerns about taxes, terrorism, schools and health and used them to ask bigger questions. He wanted to explain, freely and to spread information and make it known, but to do this with discipline and control" (127).
This is the model Saviano uses as he writes, at all times attempting to avoid both the cynicism that marks many reporters and the focus on elegance and style that detracts others. His reporting is for ordinary people and he tries to reveal it without frills. Like Biagi, he wants to motivate his readers to take notice, especially of the scores of unsolved deaths occurring around them:
"Can you really believe that none of this depends on you, or on your want of indignation? Do you really think that worrying about your everyday life is enough? Are you satisfied by the answers to these questions? Does saying "I'm not doing anything wrong; I'm an honest person," allow you to feel innocent? Can you let the news wash over you, over your soul?"
From that he describes the sixteen people who have been murdered by a mafia gang called the Casalesi who run businesses that profited more than 500 million Euros, while the rate of congenital birth defects increased 84% due to their illegal dumping of toxic waste. Their profit equates to 7172 deaths from cancer per year. So this lovely countryside in the South of Italy, namely around Lake Patria, has become an almost Wild-West type of region where the carabinieri and others trying to fight the criminals are threatened or killed, along with many innocents in the way.
In other essays he looks at similar issues facing the South of Italy, and at many times incorporating details of the culture of Italy, both ancient and current. Saviano is well-read: he references operas, plays, poetry, and literature in his writing. The pace of the essays are fast even while the details are disheartening. Seeing how crime is perpetuated as a business, focused on efficiency and results, is hard to accept.
One thing that alienated me a bit at first is his Preface, where he describes his efforts to live in hiding. It's off putting at first, as he seems to dwell on his imminent danger and how unafraid he is, given his important sacrifice. Since I'd never heard of him, it felt like a bit of bravado instead of reality. Yet, after I read the essays, I totally get it. I would hide too, and I now can respect that he has made tremendous, unimaginable sacrifices in the pursuit of truth. I just think it would have appeared better as an Epilogue than hitting the reader with all that indignation right up front.
This excerpt was from a conversation between two journalists, Saviano, and the Italian legend Enzo Biagi. Saviano's thoughts on Biagi fill a chapter in this collection of essays from Saviano's experiences as a journalist --work that would probably never be printed or aired in the United States.
First off, it's important to know that because of his work, Saviano is a wanted man. His journalism doesn't use the typical references to "an unnamed source" or an "anonymous tip". Instead, he fully exposes the names of organizations, politicians, and individuals that are involved with criminal activity in Italy, even if it endangers his life. Thus he's in hiding because of tell-all stories about the mob, and the way his articles explain not only who is committing the crimes, but also the structure of power and the methods (or businesses) they use to manipulate politicians, sell drugs, or launder money.
I'm not sure the difference in legalities that allows for such focused criticism that is relatively unheard of here. Even stating that a suspect is "alleged" is frowned upon here, whereas Italian newspapers can indicate full names and addresses. It makes reading his essays shockingly different from what a US reader may be used to, and makes his living in hiding completely understandable. Many times I had to pause and ask, "can he say that?" Seriously, I would not want to be his bodyguard.
Beyond the exposure though is a real intent to educate citizens in Italy about their government and what is happening around them. In describing Enzo Biagi, as mentioned above, parallels are seen between his goals and that of Saviano's: "Biagi was capable of looking at fragments of the daily news. He examined things bit by bit. He never jumped to a solution, but always advanced slowly...He examined our daily concerns about taxes, terrorism, schools and health and used them to ask bigger questions. He wanted to explain, freely and to spread information and make it known, but to do this with discipline and control" (127).
This is the model Saviano uses as he writes, at all times attempting to avoid both the cynicism that marks many reporters and the focus on elegance and style that detracts others. His reporting is for ordinary people and he tries to reveal it without frills. Like Biagi, he wants to motivate his readers to take notice, especially of the scores of unsolved deaths occurring around them:
"Can you really believe that none of this depends on you, or on your want of indignation? Do you really think that worrying about your everyday life is enough? Are you satisfied by the answers to these questions? Does saying "I'm not doing anything wrong; I'm an honest person," allow you to feel innocent? Can you let the news wash over you, over your soul?"
From that he describes the sixteen people who have been murdered by a mafia gang called the Casalesi who run businesses that profited more than 500 million Euros, while the rate of congenital birth defects increased 84% due to their illegal dumping of toxic waste. Their profit equates to 7172 deaths from cancer per year. So this lovely countryside in the South of Italy, namely around Lake Patria, has become an almost Wild-West type of region where the carabinieri and others trying to fight the criminals are threatened or killed, along with many innocents in the way.
In other essays he looks at similar issues facing the South of Italy, and at many times incorporating details of the culture of Italy, both ancient and current. Saviano is well-read: he references operas, plays, poetry, and literature in his writing. The pace of the essays are fast even while the details are disheartening. Seeing how crime is perpetuated as a business, focused on efficiency and results, is hard to accept.
One thing that alienated me a bit at first is his Preface, where he describes his efforts to live in hiding. It's off putting at first, as he seems to dwell on his imminent danger and how unafraid he is, given his important sacrifice. Since I'd never heard of him, it felt like a bit of bravado instead of reality. Yet, after I read the essays, I totally get it. I would hide too, and I now can respect that he has made tremendous, unimaginable sacrifices in the pursuit of truth. I just think it would have appeared better as an Epilogue than hitting the reader with all that indignation right up front.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Gosh, I was excited that there was something new from this author, we all loved "Gomorrah" but there is something about this book I don't like. Maybe it's the translation, he comes off rather self-consciously as some kind of non-egoic hero and renaissance super-man but I don't know, I really didn't like it. It was even kind of boring. They are just essays, short pieces. Maybe I'm jealous because he's such a mensch, but I really didn't enjoy the writing. So sue me. Also he writes a lot about sports which doesn't interest me. Well there it is.
