Earlier this week, enjoying a post lunch stroll, I was struck by a sight I won’t forget in a hurry. On the corner of Via delle querce, a hilly road leading up to the Convento Clarisse here in Fiesole, a group of women, young and old, were unloading large suitcases out of a black van. Dressed in tracksuits and encumbered by their luggage, they were escorted into the Renaissance building by a legion of Catholic nuns. Everyone looked exhausted. At first, I wondered if these were family members, or friends, of the sisters. Our corner of the village is quite sleepy, such commotion unusual. Then I noticed the Ukrainian licence plate, the Cyrillic bumper sticker on the window, and it clicked. I felt an odd, impotent, rush of cold. There was no chance of my lending a hand. The nuns had things under control, and – besides – there was a large gate in the way. Since then, though, I’m pleased to say I’ve got to know a couple of the new neighbours, shopping in our local coop. Apparently there are ten women and fifteen children between the ages of 5 and 17 staying in the convent. What more can I say? These people are facing awful circumstances, and beyond helping out with everyday stuff like buying bus tickets it’s hard to do much. Still, however modest it may be in the grander scheme of things, I’m pleased to see so many of my neighbourhood institutions, from the church to the casa del popolo to Co&So, mobilising to provide what assistance they can.
Civic pride aside, while it’s heartening to see some solidarity outside the front door, this may - alas - be the exception not the rule. Regarding the war, many politicians here continue to conduct themselves in an appalling manner. Hannah Roberts has unveiled the extent of this in a new piece for POLITICO. It’s a shameful index indeed. Did you know, for example, that when Zelenskyy addressed the Italian parliament in March, one in three MPs didn’t attend? That the Lega and Fratelli d’Italia, have both been downplaying the massacre in Bucha while snuggling up to Orban this week? That Berlusconi, an old friend of Putin’s, has named a “bed in his house” after the Dictator? That just a few days ago, Bianca Laura Granato, a senator with the M5S offshoot Alternativ, argued that Putin should also be live-streamed to parliament because he’s “waging an important battle…for all of us against the globalist agenda.” Inevitably, such ignorance is contagious. According to a poll by SWG, 12% of Italians believe Putin’s invasion justified, rising to 36 percent of among right wing supporters. Neither is it infrequent to hear that old trope that Europe should hold back from assisting the Ukrainians because they are actually ‘Nazis’. A quick fact-check here: about 2% of that country’s population openly support far-right politics. This is about the same level as Italy itself on a conservative estimate by the way, and that’s without counting Salvini and Meloni fans…
Arts and culture: Son of the Century
It’s been a long time coming but the English translation of Antonio Scurati’s Premio Strega winning novel M: Son of the Century is now on bookshelves. The novel - apparently the first of four parts - tells the story of the rise of Mussolini, from his youth as an angry young socialist newspaper editor to his rule as a far-right Dictator. I read this in Italian a few years ago and, while I enjoyed it, I’d have to warn those unfamiliar with the events and characters of that historical period: it’s heavy going. There’s no denying Scurati has done impeccable research, but even if you have a decent - or in my case decent-ish - grasp of the period it’s easy to get lost. Stylistically too, this is quite a ride. The narrative is made up of short chapters based on adapted, redacted and recomposed fragments of speeches from the era, and the prose is staccato, abrasive, often jarring. In other words: if you’re after a relaxing beach read, some armchair travel, or even just a strong character study, this isn’t it. If, however, you’re interested in really getting to grips with the political, economic and cultural crises that converged in the birth of fascism you’re going to learn a lot from this book. LitHub has published an extract if you’re curious. A Sky Arts TV adaptation is also due to follow in 2023.
A niche one this, but important I think. Luca Paci, a Wales-based Italian-born translator, has just released a mega edited volume called TEMPO: Excursions in 21st Century Italian Poetry. This is an incredibly rare opportunity to read grassroots, underground Italian verse in English, so don’t miss it! While many readers here will I’m sure be familiar with Leopardi or Montale or Ungaretti, the world of working-class writers, or people writing in dialect about identity, sex, politics, migration and race is mysterious to all but the most dedicated Italian bibliophiles. I’ve only ever heard of a couple of contributors to this volume - Antonella Anedda, Franco Buffoni and Guido Mazzoni – but, if anything, that just makes this release all the more exciting. Order now from Parthian Books to broaden your understanding of Italian literature and society.
A quick shout out to my friends at the British Institute in Florence for the triumphant launch of their new cultural centre SOTTO (not UK gov affiliated). I was at the press opening last night and I have to say they’ve done a magnificent job transforming what was once a freezing cold cellar - where I wrote a good chunk of The Invention of Sicily - into a contemporary cultural space. Upstairs, the institute is still dedicated to the library, to classical music and art history talks. Downstairs, though, is now an unrecognisable well-kitted-out performance space that looks somewhere between a Paris literary salon and a Berlin art gallery. ON.irica and UNDON3 kicked things off with a live-drawing session, where the artist’s pen provided the basis for an electronic music improvisation. It was strange but hypnotising spectacle that certainly demonstrated what the space was capable of. I’ll be speaking there next month if you’re in town by the way. Details to come soon. In the meantime, though, bookmark their programme to keep track of all future events.
Recipe of the week: Asparagus risotto with confit tomato and black olive
A fancy risotto for early spring. This is an invention of the Costardi brothers, Christian and Manuel, who work at the Hotel Cinzia in Vercelli on the border between Lombardia and Piemonte. The base of the dish is, as the name suggests asparagus – now in full season here – which is then blitzed and tossed through a basic carnaroli risotto (without onion). It’s a simple preparation, if you’ve got the knack of the stirring, but the flavours are quite inventive and the result undeniably cheffy. The roasted tomatoes provide a sweet and sour edge while olives, pine nuts and lemon balance that out with a fresher Mediterranean flavour. It’s an elegant celebration of April in Italy, and a healthy pre-easter dish. I’ll be making it tomorrow evening, to see in the weekend, using the recipe on Great Italian Chefs. Serve with something dry, white and fizzy. Franciacorta is perfect if you can track down a bottle.
About Me
My name is Jamie Mackay (@JacMackay) and I’m an author, editor and translator based in Florence. I’ve been writing about Italy for a decade for international media including The Guardian, The Economist, Frieze, and Art Review. I launched ‘The Week in Italy’ to share a more direct and regular overview of the debates and dilemmas, innovations and crises that sometimes pass under the radar of our overcrowded news feeds.
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