Customer Reviews

Open City : Seven Writers in Postwar Rome : Ignazio Silone, Giorgio Bassani, Alberto Moravia, Elsa Morante, Natalia Ginzburg, Carlo Levi, Carlo Emili

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the introduction to this touching collection of several influential writers, William Weaver illustrates with photographic precision the personalities and circumstances that defined the Rome of the postwar epoch. For anyone interested in contemporary Italian writing, Mr. Weaver's profound insight and vast personal knowledge of both Rome and its writers will be an enlightening experience. No other book offers the reader such a fascinating invitation into the lives and stories that were the lost, open city of postwar Rome.

I bought this book here several years ago when I was freshly back from a wonderful trip to Italy. For whatever reason, I never felt like reading it until last week. After reading the first piece, by Morante, I am not eager to read any further.

I knew this book consisted of excerpts from other pieces, but I assumed they would be chosen and edited carefully so they could stand on there own. Sadly, this was not the case at all. After reading the 100+ page excerpt from House of Liars, the piece just stopped dead in it's tracks with no resolution for any of the characters. In fact, it stopped right in the midst of a turning point for all four of the main characters. I was shocked that it ended there.

I feel like I paid $13.00 for a "sneak preview" designed to get me to buy the books that are excerpted. Thanks, but no thanks.

In the introduction to this touching collection of several influential writers, William Weaver illustrates with photographic precision the personalities and circumstances that defined the Rome of the postwar epoch. For anyone interested in contemporary Italian writing, Mr. Weaver's profound insight and vast personal knowledge of both Rome and its writers will be an enlightening experience. No other book offers the reader such a fascinating invitation into the lives and stories that were the lost, open city of postwar Rome.

I received the book, just when I needed it. It was the first of my books to arrive.