Erri De Luca is a writer whose works are deeply rooted in his life experiences. A self-taught polyglot with a passion for mountain climbing, his prose often reflects a unique perspective forged through diverse experiences. His writing, which began early in life, explores the human condition with a distinct voice. Though a non-believer, he has translated several biblical texts into Italian, delving into various aspects of Judaism. His novels, often inspired by his background as a laborer and his travels, resonate with a powerful and unmistakable literary presence.
Set against the backdrop of a pivotal year in a young boy's life, the narrative unfolds through his secret diary. As he navigates the complexities of adolescence, he faces transformative experiences that broaden his understanding of the world. The story captures the essence of growth, discovery, and the challenges of coming of age, revealing how a single year can shape one's identity and perspective.
"Happiness - was it right to name it without knowing it? It sounded shameless in my mouth, like when someone shows off about knowing a celebrity and just uses their first name . . . A young orphan boy grows up in Naples, playing football, roaming the city's streets and hidden places. The older boys call him 'monkey' because he can climb anywhere. He is alone, apart from Don Gaetano, the apartment caretaker, who feeds him, teaches him to play scopa, and tells him stories about women, history and the dark secrets of Naples' past. The one day the boy sees a young girl standing at a window. It is an encounter that will haunt his life for years and, eventually, shape his destiny. Told with the simplicity of a fairy tale and the intensity of a memory, The Day Before Happinessis the story of friendship, a city and what makes us who we are."
Two men go walking in the Dolomites, but not together; one falls to his death, the other reports the body. Is it coincidence that they knew each other in earlier years, and that one had betrayed the other?
'Happiness - was it right to name it without knowing it? It sounded shameless in my mouth, like when someone shows off about knowing a celebrity and just uses their first name, saying Marcello when they really mean Mastroianni ...' A young orphan boy grows up in Naples, playing football, roaming the city's streets and hidden places. The older boys call him 'monkey' because he can climb anywhere. He is alone, apart from Don Gaetano, the apartment caretaker, who feeds him, teaches him to play scopa, and tells him stories about women, history and the dark secrets of Naples' past. Then one day the boy sees a young girl standing at a window. It is an encounter that will haunt his life for years and, eventually, shape his destiny. Lyrical and exuberant, told with the simplicity of a fairy tale and the intensity of a memory, The Day Before Happiness is the story of friendship, a city and what makes us who we are.
Un uomo solo in una casa di montagna e un piatto in più messo per errore sulla povera tavola della festa. Un viaggiatore intrappolato nella nebbia e una porta che si apre.“Andavamo dietro ai pensieri,come fa il vento con le nuvole.”Un racconto luminoso in cui le parole di Erri De Luca, fuse con i disegni di Alessandro Sanna, conducono il lettore in un’atmosfera sospesa.Una storia che parla di condivisione, della capacità di riconoscere e accogliere i doni, e della magia che nasce da un incontro.
Für was es sich zu kämpfen lohnt Die Menschen seines süditalienischen Heimatortes kennen ihn nur als "den Gärtner". Er führt ein zurückgezogenes Leben, umgeben von Büchern, Blumen und Bäumen. Sein einziger Freund ist der Blumenverkäufer Selim, ein illegaler Einwanderer, der sich wie er nach dem Himmel im Süden sehnt. Bis unerwartet Laila in sein Leben tritt, eine junge Prostituierte. Sie erinnert ihn an seine lange verdrängte Vergangenheit: Zwanzig Jahre zuvor war er seiner großen Liebe nach Argentinien gefolgt, um mit ihr gegen die Militärdiktatur zu kämpfen. Ein Kampf, der ein tragisches Ende nahm. Nun wird er erneut vor Entscheidungen gestellt, die längst getroffen schienen, und gezwungen, für die Frau zu kämpfen, die er liebt.
Un uomo di molti mestieri è incaricato di un delicato restauro. La statua del crocifisso contiene segreti che si rivelano solo al tatto. Bisogna risalire a diverse nudità per eseguire. C’entra una città di mare e un villaggio di confine, un amore d’azzardo e una volontà di imitazione. Fu attesa l’ora del tramonto, per l’effetto di luce arrossata sopra il marmo. Prese aspetto di carne, le ombre mossero le forme.
De Lucas herrliche Erzählung kann als Antwort auf unlösbare Fragen verstanden werden ... Das Leben scheint ihm mächtiger zu sein als alle Sinnfragen. Und sein Buch bietet hierfür den berührensten Beweis.
«Pour beaucoup, la Bible est un texte sacré. Mais ce qui me touche plus que cette valeur en soi, c’est le sacré qui s’est ajouté, l’ouvre des innombrables lecteurs, commentateurs, savants qui ont consacré a ce livre le plus clair de leur vie. Le sacré de la Bible est devenu, a travers eux, une civilisation. Il m’arrive d’etre frappé par la beauté d’un vers qui a perdu son éclat en quittant sa langue maternelle. Ainsi la ligne 39 du psaume 105, ou l’on chante Dieu guidant les Hébreux dans le désert. Le texte officiel de l’Église le traduit : 'Il étendit une nuée pour les protéger.' Mot a mot il s’agit au contraire de : 'Il étendit un nuage comme un tapis.' Illustrer la Bible d’une note nouvelle : non pas pour apposer en bas de page, a l’infini, une autre signature, mais pour refléter une part de la lumiere qu’elle offre, meme au dernier de ses lecteurs.»
El roman de Erri de Luca es un retrato lacónico y denso de la juventud en Nápoles en los años 60. La lucha de la gente común por la supervivencia obliga a un niño a actuar como un adulto. Una novela que gira de manera conmovedora en torno a la fuerza elemental del amor.
