Arturo's Island

Description

In this little-known classic of Italian literature, young Arturo grows up in near-isolation on the island of Procida in the Bay of Naples. His mother died in childbirth and his wayward father, who left him as a child in the care of a servant on the island, returns only sporadically. Cut off from the island community, Arturo exists almost entirely in solitude: he roams the island with his beloved dog, sails in his boat and reads tales of virtuous heroes and adventurers whom he imagines resembles his father. The boy's world is upended when his father arrives from Naples with his new wife Nunziata, who at sixteen is only a few years older than Arturo. Their presence shatters his childhood idyll, awakening passionate feelings and drawing the family towards painful conflict. Arturo's Island is a moving and dramatic portrayal of the loss of childhood idealism and the inescapable force of desire.

Elsa Morante (1912-1985) was born and raised in Rome, where she lived throughout her life, aside from several months spent in hiding in the small town of Fondi during the Nazi occupation of Rome. She started writing at a young age, initially publishing short stories in Children's journals. Her first novel, House of Liars, was published in 1948 and won the Viareggio Prize. She went on to become one of Italy's most lauded writers, winning further prizes and commercial success with her next two novels Arturo's Island and History. She died of a heart attack in Rome in 1985.