Boredom
by Alberto Moravia

When I first read it quite some time ago, the book was titled "The Empty Canvas" which was also the name of its filmed version. The novel itself is brilliantly written, extremely sensual and often very funny. Moravia examines the human condition with all its intricacies and contradictions. It is a pleasure to be in the hands of such a masterful writer; and Angus Davidson, who has translated several of Moravia's other works of fiction from Italian to English, once again does an excellent job.