A Tournament of Misfits: Tall Tales and Short (Lorenzo Da Ponte Italian Library)

Aldo Palazzeschi (1885-1974) is arguably the major twentieth-century Italian writer who has been most neglected by the English-speaking world. Born in Florence and trained as an actor, Palazzeschi ranks high as a poet and fiction writer in his homeland. His work, which attempts to recreate the experience of a spectator watching and listening to a character on stage, won him the praise of F.T. Marinetti, the founder of Italian futurism, who enrolled the young poet in his avant-garde coterie despite the fact that, stylistically, Palazzeschi's work had little in common with futurism. A Tournament of Misfits brings together a selection of Palazzeschi's short fiction for the first time in English. Through clear and fluid translations, Nicolas J. Perella demonstrates Palazzeschi's use of laughter to debunk social and literary myths. As a social being, Palazzeschi felt himself a deviant, but he was saved from a self-destructive bitterness by his capacity for irony, which he often directed at himself as well as at others. Yet, it would be a mistake not to see the desperate yearning for liberation from society’s rigid code behind the irony and the fun in Palazzeschi's work. With this translation, Perella brings Palazzeschi to life for a new audience to appreciate. Aldo Palazzeschi (1885-1974) is arguably the major twentieth-century Italian writer who has been most neglected by the English-speaking world. Born in Florence and trained as an actor, Palazzeschi ranks high as a poet and fiction writer in his homeland. His work, which attempts to recreate the experience of a spectator watching and listening to a character on stage, won him the praise of F.T. Marinetti, the founder of Italian futurism, who enrolled the young poet in his avant-garde coterie despite the fact that, stylistically, Palazzeschi's work had little in common with futurism. A Tournament of Misfits brings together a selection of Palazzeschi's short fiction for the first time in English. Through clear and fluid translations, Nicolas J. Perella demonstrates Palazzeschi's use of laughter to debunk social and literary myths. As a social being, Palazzeschi felt himself a deviant, but he was saved from a self-destructive bitterness by his capacity for irony, which he often directed at himself as well as at others. Yet, it would be a mistake not to see the desperate yearning for liberation from society's rigid code behind the irony and the fun in Palazzeschi's work. With this translation, Perella brings Palazzeschi to life for a new audience to appreciate. Aldo Palazzeschi (1885-1974) Is Arguably The Major Twentieth-century Italian Writer Who Has Been Most Neglected By The English-speaking World. A Tournament Of Misfits Brings Together A Selection Of Palazzeschi's Short Fiction For The First Time In English. Through Clear And Fluid Translations, Nicolas J. Perella Demonstrates Palazzeschi's Use Of Laughter To Debunk Social And Literary Myths. As A Social Being, Palazzeschi Felt Himself A Deviant, But He Was Saved From A Self-destructive Bitterness By His Capacity For Irony, Which He Often Directed At Himself As Well As At Others. Yet, It Would Be A Mistake Not To See The Desperate Yearning For Liberation From Society's Rigid Code Behind The Irony And The Fun In Palazzeschi's Work.--book Jacket. Introduction : Tall Tales And Short -- Solitary Gentleman -- Servite Domino In Laetitia -- Black Mark -- Our Friend Galletti -- Bistino And The Marquis -- Small Sentimental Gem -- Little Maria -- Beautiful King -- Dagobert -- Gift -- Small Gastronomic Gem -- Portrait Of The Queen -- Hunchback -- Summer Noontide -- Silence. Aldo Palazzeschi ; Translated By Nicolas J. Perella. Includes Bibliographical References. Translated From The Italian. Contents 7 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction: Tall Tales and Short 11 A Solitary Gentleman 45 Servite Domino in Laetitia 59 The Black Mark 67 Our Friend Galletti 86 Bistino and the Marquis 107 A Small Sentimental Gem 127 Little Maria 128 The Beautiful King 139 Dagobert 167 The Gift 180 A Small Gastronomic Gem 203 The Portrait of the Queen 204 The Hunchback 218 Summer Noontide 229 Silence 234 Sometimes, when she was at the door to see a friend out, the latter would look down the hall to the other door on the landing and then, with a grimace, ask, "Who lives there?"