Tragedy of Childhood [Hardcover]

Alberto Savinio (Author), John Shepley (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Alberto Savinio is the pseudonym of Andrea de Chirico, brother of the surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico, and this work, written in 1945, exemplifies the word surrealist . With the perspective of a child, Savinio recalls incidents that are on the border between reality and fantasy. Moments of illness, of trying to elicit satisfying answers from grownups, the joy of caring for an injured bird matched by the frustration of having it fly away, the desolation of being ignored by grownup friends, and the absurdities he saw at the theater--all are lyrically portrayed but juxtaposed against elements of the grotesque. Libraries that have Savinio's Speaking to Clio ( LJ 9/15/87) and Childhood of Nivasio Dolcemare (Eriadnos, 1988) will want this as well. Superbly written, it will find its most appreciative audience in academic libraries.
- Ann Irvine, Montgomery Cty. Dept. of P.L., Kensington, Md.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian

Product Details

• Hardcover: 131 pages
• Publisher: Marlboro Press (January 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 091039573X
• ISBN-13: 978-0910395731
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,051,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Imperative reading for anyone interested in art or childhood, January 9, 2002

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This review is from: Tragedy of Childhood (Paperback)

This is a gem of a book that is very much like a diary, if not therapy sessions. The book is divided into topics on which "Savinio" expels remembrances of things past. It is a bit like the novel "Carrots" by Jules Renard, if only in temperament. The theme of the book is put forth near the beginning when he writes: "How can it be denied that our parents' deepest joy feeds on the sufferings of us children?" Admittedly, this is not entirely accessible material. If one is interested in psychology (such as Alice Miller's work) and the essence of art and what kind of person is inclined to make art, this book speaks to that. Elsewhere he writes: "Why are we not more astonished by the annihilation of the will that the educator practices on the child?" Still elsewhere: "Every memory, be it only the shadow of a reminiscence of what childhood was, is the pitilessly cruel confirmation that life, by law, is a defeat." Overall, it is a very sad, angry, and truthful book, that questions the morality of education and self-proclaimed civilized society. ...Keep in mind that this book was first published in 1937, but was first drafted, in part, in 1919. WAY ahead if its time.