Cesare Pavese was an Italian writer and Poet , who ended his life at the age of 42. He was one of the authors who skipped my reading list for a long time. I could not get hold of any of his works in India despite my search , until recently through the new Peter Owen Classics collections.
This novel about post war Turin youths spending their holidays in the country side, moving closure to nature. During their stay in Orsete's wine yard in the village, they spend their time sunbathing naked in the clifts and drinking in the wineyards. They spend few days at their friend Poli's residence and the game of seduction and morality begins. This interesting novel is about the rich young Italian aristocrats and their life of crime, adultery, drugs and suicide. Pavese explores the different human characters through this very personal narrative, taking us through the Rich/ordinary , youth / aged , family / independent adultery/morality conflicts.
This has been talked about as the most personal novel of Pavese, and gives us a good view of post world war Italian urban/country life through his experience. Having said that, I hope this is not the best of his works. I would be disappointed otherwise. None the less, it gave me the glimpses of a genius writer, I missed reading so long.
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