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Ξανθή Σειρήνα
Milano, Sonzogno, 1936, 8vo brossura con copertina illustrata a colori, (di Carboni) pp. 352.
270 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1936
About the author
Pitigrilli
53 books25 followersPitigrilli was the pseudonym for Dino Segre (9 May 1893 - 8 May 1975), an Italian writer who made his living as a journalist and novelist. His most noted novel was Cocaïne (1921), published under his pseudonym and placed on the "forbidden books" list by the Catholic Church because of his treatment of drug use and sex. It has been translated into several languages and re-issued in several editions. Pitigrilli published novels up until 1974, the year before his death.
He founded the literary magazine Grandi Firme, which was published in Turin from 1924 to 1938, when it was banned under the newly enacted anti-Semitic Race Laws of the Fascist government. Although baptized as a Catholic, Segre was classified as Jewish at that time. He had worked in the 1930s as an informant for OVRA, the Fascist secret service, but was dismissed in 1939 after being exposed in Paris. His father was Jewish, and Pitigrilli had married a Jewish woman (although they had long lived apart)
Pitigrilli had traveled in Europe in the 1930s while maintaining his house in Turin. His efforts beginning in 1938 to change his racial status were not successful, and he was interned as a Jew in 1940, following Italy's entrance into the war as an ally of Germany. He gained release from the internal exile that year, and wrote anonymously in Rome to earn money. After Mussolini's government fell in 1943 and the Germans began to occupy Italy, Pitigrilli fled to Switzerland, where his second wife (a Catholic) and their daughter joined him. They lived there until 1947, then moved to Argentina. Segre and his family returned to Europe in 1958, settling in Paris, from where they occasionally visited Turin.
He founded the literary magazine Grandi Firme, which was published in Turin from 1924 to 1938, when it was banned under the newly enacted anti-Semitic Race Laws of the Fascist government. Although baptized as a Catholic, Segre was classified as Jewish at that time. He had worked in the 1930s as an informant for OVRA, the Fascist secret service, but was dismissed in 1939 after being exposed in Paris. His father was Jewish, and Pitigrilli had married a Jewish woman (although they had long lived apart)
Pitigrilli had traveled in Europe in the 1930s while maintaining his house in Turin. His efforts beginning in 1938 to change his racial status were not successful, and he was interned as a Jew in 1940, following Italy's entrance into the war as an ally of Germany. He gained release from the internal exile that year, and wrote anonymously in Rome to earn money. After Mussolini's government fell in 1943 and the Germans began to occupy Italy, Pitigrilli fled to Switzerland, where his second wife (a Catholic) and their daughter joined him. They lived there until 1947, then moved to Argentina. Segre and his family returned to Europe in 1958, settling in Paris, from where they occasionally visited Turin.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 3, 2013
An interesting read. Not exactly what I expected, but then I'm not quite sure what it was I expected. The author has a cynical manner of narrating the events. Somewhat similar to Ayn Rand, in that sense. Events unfold and cause and consequence are exposed, but there is a dryness to the way in which we witness everything. I'm not sure I would read anymore of his books, but I don't regret having read this one.
The story revolves around the main character, Teodore Zweifel, and the family, associates and friends within his immediate circle. He is a petulant, self-absorbed non-conformist who is loathe to suffer fools - and we are all fools - but who finds himself under constant legal challenges (though they should by all means be of a civil nature, they appear to be criminal proceedings) to his trade, which is essentially the practice of alternative medicine. The novel covers ten years of his life, from forty through fifty years of age. The conclusion is puzzling and the ending unsatisfying, though I'm frankly at a loss imagining how it might have been done better.
The story revolves around the main character, Teodore Zweifel, and the family, associates and friends within his immediate circle. He is a petulant, self-absorbed non-conformist who is loathe to suffer fools - and we are all fools - but who finds himself under constant legal challenges (though they should by all means be of a civil nature, they appear to be criminal proceedings) to his trade, which is essentially the practice of alternative medicine. The novel covers ten years of his life, from forty through fifty years of age. The conclusion is puzzling and the ending unsatisfying, though I'm frankly at a loss imagining how it might have been done better.
November 16, 2012
One of the best books by Pitigrilli. Sarcastic, hilarious and full of details. I recommend this book to all of you wanting to amuse yourselves with a good and funny story of a man and a woman trying to find the love.
July 24, 2024
It was good at first, but the ending was absolutely terrible and I don't want to understand why. The book felt very pseudo-intellectual, which sounded good at first but got worse and worse as the story progressed. Maybe Pitigrilli wanted to write like this, but I can't bring myself down to read this type of book ever again.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews