The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories (Penguin Classics Hardcover)

'Rich. . . eclectic. . . a feast' Telegraph This landmark collection brings together forty writers that reflect over a hundred years of Italy's vibrant and diverse short story tradition, from the birth of the modern nation to the end of the twentieth century. Poets, journalists, visual artists, musicians, editors, critics, teachers, scientists, politicians, translators: the writers that inhabit these pages represent a dynamic cross section of Italian society, their powerful voices resonating through regional landscapes, private passions and dramatic political events. This wide-ranging selection curated by Jhumpa Lahiri includes well known authors such as Italo Calvino, Elsa Morante and Luigi Pirandello alongside many captivating new discoveries. More than a third of the stories featured in this volume have been translated into English for the first time, several of them by Lahiri herself. Reviews: A fantastically rich - and beautiful - anthology that's teaching me a lot (Chris Power) A feast . . . her choice of 40 authors embraces familiar greats and sows them with fascinating additions . . . they remind us of the short story's playfulness, it's ability to move us with unexpected sharpness while it experiments with voices, styles and boundaries (Julian Evans Telegraph ) Jhumpa Lahiri has pulled off something quite striking here: a literary anthology that sparkles with invention and variety, makes a remarkably convincing case for the vitality of the modern Italian short story and also beguiles, thanks to her sharp-eyed work as editor, compiler and part-translator. (Robert S C Gordon Literary Review ) Taken one by one, each story in this volume is a jewel. Taken all together, the book is a remarkable introduction to Italian literature and a great gift to the English-speaking reader. Remarkable stories from a wide range of writers describe the mundane and the fantastic, the everyday and the sublime. ( Kirkus ) An enticing collection . . . a remarkable sample of the literary form . . . the tales are by turns startling, moving, intriguing and provocative; they bring melancholy, humour and a dose of the uncanny. ( TLS ) About the Author: Jhumpa Lahiri is an award-winning author and translator. She received the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for Interpreter of Maladies , her debut story collection and was awarded a National Humanities Medal in 2015. Her other works of fiction in English include The Lowland , which was a finalist for the Man Booker prize. 467 pages Publisher: Penguin 467 pages Publisher: Penguin (7 Mar. 2019) Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l. Language: English ASIN: B07HFLFJL4 ASIN: B07HFLFJL4 "When Jhumpa Lahiri decided to read exclusively in Italian, a language she had studied for many years, her life as a reader - and writer - took a surprising turn. Complete immersion in this rich literary heritage brought fresh insight and unexpected freedom. This collection brings together forty writers that have shaped her love of the Italian language and profound appreciation for its literature. More than half of the stories featured in this volume have been translated into English for the first time and the wide ranging selection includes well known authors such as Italo Calvino, Elsa Morante and Luigi Pirandello, alongside many captivating rediscoveries. The writers that inhabit these pages represent a dynamic cross section of Italian society. Together they reflect over a hundred years of Italy's vibrant and diverse short story tradition, their powerful voices resonating through regional landscapes, private passions and the dramatic political events of the twentieth century."-- (Source of summary not specified)