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Commissario Montalbano #4.7
Gli arancini di Montalbano
Rare book
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
58 people are currently reading
817 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Camilleri
433 books2,470 followersAndrea Camilleri was an Italian writer. He is considered one of the greatest Italian writers of both 20th and 21st centuries.
Originally from Porto Empedocle, Sicily, Camilleri began studies at the Faculty of Literature in 1944, without concluding them, meanwhile publishing poems and short stories. Around this time he joined the Italian Communist Party.
From 1948 to 1950 Camilleri studied stage and film direction at the Silvio D'Amico Academy of Dramatic Arts, and began to take on work as a director and screenwriter, directing especially plays by Pirandello and Beckett. As a matter of fact, his parents knew Pirandello and were even distant friends, as he tells in his essay on Pirandello "Biography of the changed son". His most famous works, the Montalbano series show many pirandellian elements: for example, the wild olive tree that helps Montalbano think, is on stage in his late work "The giants of the mountain"
With RAI, Camilleri worked on several TV productions, such as Inspector Maigret with Gino Cervi. In 1977 he returned to the Academy of Dramatic Arts, holding the chair of Movie Direction, and occupying it for 20 years.
In 1978 Camilleri wrote his first novel Il Corso Delle Cose ("The Way Things Go"). This was followed by Un Filo di Fumo ("A Thread of Smoke") in 1980. Neither of these works enjoyed any significant amount of popularity.
In 1992, after a long pause of 12 years, Camilleri once more took up novel-writing. A new book, La Stagione della Caccia ("The Hunting Season") turned out to be a best-seller.
In 1994 Camilleri published the first in a long series of novels: La forma dell'Acqua (The Shape of Water) featured the character of Inspector Montalbano, a fractious Sicilian detective in the police force of Vigàta, an imaginary Sicilian town. The series is written in Italian but with a substantial sprinkling of Sicilian phrases and grammar. The name Montalbano is an homage to the Spanish writer Manuel Vázquez Montalbán; the similarities between Montalban's Pepe Carvalho and Camilleri's fictional detective are remarkable. Both writers make great play of their protagonists' gastronomic preferences.
This feature provides an interesting quirk which has become something of a fad among his readership even in mainland Italy. The TV adaptation of Montalbano's adventures, starring the perfectly-cast Luca Zingaretti, further increased Camilleri's popularity to such a point that in 2003 Camilleri's home town, Porto Empedocle - on which Vigàta is modelled - took the extraordinary step of changing its official denomination to that of Porto Empedocle Vigàta, no doubt with an eye to capitalising on the tourism possibilities thrown up by the author's work.
In 1998 Camilleri won the Nino Martoglio International Book Award.
Camilleri lived in Rome where he worked as a TV and theatre director. About 10 million copies of his novels have been sold to date, and are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and North America.
In addition to the degree of popularity brought him by the novels, in recent months Andrea Camilleri has become even more of a media icon thanks to the parodies aired on an RAI radio show, where popular comedian, TV-host and impression artist Fiorello presents him as a raspy voiced, caustic character, madly in love with cigarettes and smoking (Camilleri is well-known for his love of tobacco).
He received an honorary degree from University of Pisa in 2005.
Originally from Porto Empedocle, Sicily, Camilleri began studies at the Faculty of Literature in 1944, without concluding them, meanwhile publishing poems and short stories. Around this time he joined the Italian Communist Party.
From 1948 to 1950 Camilleri studied stage and film direction at the Silvio D'Amico Academy of Dramatic Arts, and began to take on work as a director and screenwriter, directing especially plays by Pirandello and Beckett. As a matter of fact, his parents knew Pirandello and were even distant friends, as he tells in his essay on Pirandello "Biography of the changed son". His most famous works, the Montalbano series show many pirandellian elements: for example, the wild olive tree that helps Montalbano think, is on stage in his late work "The giants of the mountain"
With RAI, Camilleri worked on several TV productions, such as Inspector Maigret with Gino Cervi. In 1977 he returned to the Academy of Dramatic Arts, holding the chair of Movie Direction, and occupying it for 20 years.
In 1978 Camilleri wrote his first novel Il Corso Delle Cose ("The Way Things Go"). This was followed by Un Filo di Fumo ("A Thread of Smoke") in 1980. Neither of these works enjoyed any significant amount of popularity.
In 1992, after a long pause of 12 years, Camilleri once more took up novel-writing. A new book, La Stagione della Caccia ("The Hunting Season") turned out to be a best-seller.
In 1994 Camilleri published the first in a long series of novels: La forma dell'Acqua (The Shape of Water) featured the character of Inspector Montalbano, a fractious Sicilian detective in the police force of Vigàta, an imaginary Sicilian town. The series is written in Italian but with a substantial sprinkling of Sicilian phrases and grammar. The name Montalbano is an homage to the Spanish writer Manuel Vázquez Montalbán; the similarities between Montalban's Pepe Carvalho and Camilleri's fictional detective are remarkable. Both writers make great play of their protagonists' gastronomic preferences.
This feature provides an interesting quirk which has become something of a fad among his readership even in mainland Italy. The TV adaptation of Montalbano's adventures, starring the perfectly-cast Luca Zingaretti, further increased Camilleri's popularity to such a point that in 2003 Camilleri's home town, Porto Empedocle - on which Vigàta is modelled - took the extraordinary step of changing its official denomination to that of Porto Empedocle Vigàta, no doubt with an eye to capitalising on the tourism possibilities thrown up by the author's work.
In 1998 Camilleri won the Nino Martoglio International Book Award.
Camilleri lived in Rome where he worked as a TV and theatre director. About 10 million copies of his novels have been sold to date, and are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and North America.
In addition to the degree of popularity brought him by the novels, in recent months Andrea Camilleri has become even more of a media icon thanks to the parodies aired on an RAI radio show, where popular comedian, TV-host and impression artist Fiorello presents him as a raspy voiced, caustic character, madly in love with cigarettes and smoking (Camilleri is well-known for his love of tobacco).
He received an honorary degree from University of Pisa in 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
June 8, 2025
Za mną znakomita lektura. Zbiór opowiadań o śledztwach komisarza z małej sycylijskiej miejscowości. A przy okazji opis ludzkich charakterów, zachowań i przekonań. Opisy te okraszone są sporą dawką ironii. Tempo raczej spokojne. Towarzystwo domowego jedzenia i czerwonego wina uprzyjemnia lekturę (przy okazji wzmaga apetyt!) Historie można czytać w dowolnej kolejności. Spodobają się miłośnikom ojca Browna i słynnego włoskiego don Camillo (mimo, że czasy inne, to ludzie niewiele się zmienili).
February 16, 2022
Catarella, yo quiero resolver un caso contigo.
Dottori, cuánto me alegras la existencia cuando te leo ♡
Dottori, cuánto me alegras la existencia cuando te leo ♡
August 15, 2021
Διάφορες ιστορίες με τον αστυνομικό Μονταλμπανο.
Πολυ καλό!!!!
Πολυ καλό!!!!
May 5, 2017
Είκοσι σύντομες αστυνομικές ιστορίες του αγαπημένου Σάλβο, μία κάθε βράδυ. Ιδανικό για κουρασμένους ανθρώπους :-)
June 20, 2018
Letto al liceo, 2004, credo: l'unico mio appunto, un po' ridicolamente provocatorio con tono palermitano: le arancinE di Montalbano! :)
July 7, 2025
Más cuentos de Camilleri sobre su gran personaje. Por mucho que me gusten las novelas, aquí están algunas de las mejores páginas de la serie, junto con otras algo menos interesantes, pero ese es el sino de las recopilaciones de cuentos. El formato le permite al autor realizar textos más experimentales, como Montalbano se rebela y «Mi querido Salvo…», «Livia mía…», o desarrollar facetas de los secundarios habituales, como en Catarella resuelve un caso y La Nochevieja de Montalbano.
En conjunto, un libro muy entretenido y una gran lectura.
En conjunto, un libro muy entretenido y una gran lectura.
August 28, 2024
Una sorpresa inaspettata! La lingua di Camilleri, una sapiente miscela di italiano e siciliano, trasporta veramente il lettore a Vigata, tra la calura siciliana e l'odore fresco del mare. Certamente non tutti i racconti sono ugualmente riusciti ma la lettura comunque rimane piacevole e scorrevole per tutta la durata del libro. Camilleri si rivela sicuramente un autore da approfondire!
April 2, 2020
BRATNIA DUSZA
Gdyby nie to, że uwielbiam odkrywać nowe, literackie lądy, po przeczytaniu tej książki miałabym ochotę zakupić karton czerwonego wina, rozpalić ogień w kominku, wtulić się w fotel, okryć wątłe ciało kocykiem (to zimą) i nic innego nie robić, tylko czytać Camilleriego. Ten scenariusz będzie musiał trochę poczekać, ale przynajmniej już wiem, co będę robić na emeryturze.
Jak ja mogłam dopiero teraz odkryć Camilleriego?! Czy autor naprawdę musiał umrzeć, żebym zwróciła na niego uwagę? Tak. Niestety, tak się to odbyło. Chociaż na nazwisko Camilleri wpadałam od czasu do czasu, to jednak dopiero wiadomość o śmierci autora zmobilizowała mnie do działania.
Ostatnio przydarza mi się coraz częściej, że zaglądam do jakiejś książki i odkładam ją po przeczytaniu kilku stron, bo nie wczuwam się w styl pisania autora (o, dzięki ci, moja aplikacjo, że nie muszę za to płacić!). To są czasem pewnie i niezłe książki, nie tylko takie, że już po kilku akapitach da się zwietrzyć grafomaństwo autora. Przerywam czytanie, bo po prostu czuję, że między mną, a autorem od początku nie iskrzy. Z Camillerim zaiskrzyło od pierwszej strony.
Co mnie uwiodło? Camilleri tak przedstawia komisarza Montalbano, który nie może udać się na przechadzkę z powodu sztormu. „Mógł tylko pójść pod prysznic i od razu wylądować w łóżku z książką w ręku. Łatwo to mówić! Kiedy wybierał książkę, z którą mógłby zasypiać, dzieląc z nią łóżko i poświęcając jej ostatnie myśli, gotów był tracić na to godzinę.”
Natychmiast wyczuwam w komisarzu bratnią duszę.
Dwa zdania dalej już wiem, że wyrafinowane, podszyte sarkazmem poczucie humoru autora również idealnie trafia w moje gusta. „Sięgnąć po esej historyczny mówiący o zdarzeniach ostatniego stulecia? Lepiej z tym uważać; przy dzisiejszej modzie na rewizję poglądów można natrafić na autora, który zechce ci wmawiać, że Hitler był w gruncie rzeczy figurą słono opłacaną przez Żydów, aby mogli oni, dzięki jego wyczynom, stać się opłakiwanymi przez cały świat ofiarami. Czytasz to i ponosi cię taka złość, że do rana nie możesz zmrużyć oka”.
Jak ja dobrze to rozumiem!
Zakochuję się więc w autorze i w jego bohaterze platonicznie (albo w bohaterze i autorze, bez znaczenia), od pierwszego wejrzenia. Zakładam na nos różowe okulary i niech mi tylko ktoś zaprzeczy, że Camilleri wielkim pisarzem był, to rozkrochmalę nochal na miazgę.
Rzeczywistość komisarza Montalbano i jego współpracowników to oaza normalności we współczesnym świecie, taka trochę z innej epoki, z czasów kiedy wszystko było lepsze i piękniejsze. Przypomina mi świat wykreowany przez Fred Vargas w jej kryminałach. Podobna ironia, dowcip, menażeria ludzka budząca uśmiech i sympatię. Detektyw optymistycznie patrzący na świat, ale również kontestujący rzeczywistość kiedy trzeba, przenikliwy i inteligentny, nie mający kłopotów z okazywaniem szacunku ludziom, z różnych powodów usuniętym na margines życia. Mechanizm identyfikacji działa tak mocno, że rozwiązuję zagadki niemalże wcielając się w bohatera.
Zaczęłam od zbioru opowiadań (Betsy, dzięki za podpowiedź), żeby poznać styl pisania autora, ocenić umiejętność opowiadania ciekawych historii i konstruowania intrygi. Camilleri mnie nie zawiódł, chociaż przyznam szczerze, że w niektórych opowiadaniach bardziej zachwycił mnie klimat opowieści, niż same anegdoty. Ale tak miało być i nie każdemu musi to odpowiadać. Jeżeli szukacie w kryminałach nagłych zwrotów akcji i efektownych cliffhangerów, to nie tutaj. Ale jeżeli potrzebujecie chwilki wytchnienia, zadumy nad otaczającym światem, kapki uśmiechu, i nie przeszkadza wam, że to wszystko okraszone jest niezłą zagadką kryminalną – czytajcie Camilleriego.
Na to, żeby delektować się tą czystą przyjemnością do woli, na razie nie zasłużyłam. Będę dawkować sobie Camilleriego z umiarem, jeśli uznam, że należy mi się nagroda.
https://www.czytacz.pl/2020/04/andrea...
Gdyby nie to, że uwielbiam odkrywać nowe, literackie lądy, po przeczytaniu tej książki miałabym ochotę zakupić karton czerwonego wina, rozpalić ogień w kominku, wtulić się w fotel, okryć wątłe ciało kocykiem (to zimą) i nic innego nie robić, tylko czytać Camilleriego. Ten scenariusz będzie musiał trochę poczekać, ale przynajmniej już wiem, co będę robić na emeryturze.
Jak ja mogłam dopiero teraz odkryć Camilleriego?! Czy autor naprawdę musiał umrzeć, żebym zwróciła na niego uwagę? Tak. Niestety, tak się to odbyło. Chociaż na nazwisko Camilleri wpadałam od czasu do czasu, to jednak dopiero wiadomość o śmierci autora zmobilizowała mnie do działania.
Ostatnio przydarza mi się coraz częściej, że zaglądam do jakiejś książki i odkładam ją po przeczytaniu kilku stron, bo nie wczuwam się w styl pisania autora (o, dzięki ci, moja aplikacjo, że nie muszę za to płacić!). To są czasem pewnie i niezłe książki, nie tylko takie, że już po kilku akapitach da się zwietrzyć grafomaństwo autora. Przerywam czytanie, bo po prostu czuję, że między mną, a autorem od początku nie iskrzy. Z Camillerim zaiskrzyło od pierwszej strony.
Co mnie uwiodło? Camilleri tak przedstawia komisarza Montalbano, który nie może udać się na przechadzkę z powodu sztormu. „Mógł tylko pójść pod prysznic i od razu wylądować w łóżku z książką w ręku. Łatwo to mówić! Kiedy wybierał książkę, z którą mógłby zasypiać, dzieląc z nią łóżko i poświęcając jej ostatnie myśli, gotów był tracić na to godzinę.”
Natychmiast wyczuwam w komisarzu bratnią duszę.
Dwa zdania dalej już wiem, że wyrafinowane, podszyte sarkazmem poczucie humoru autora również idealnie trafia w moje gusta. „Sięgnąć po esej historyczny mówiący o zdarzeniach ostatniego stulecia? Lepiej z tym uważać; przy dzisiejszej modzie na rewizję poglądów można natrafić na autora, który zechce ci wmawiać, że Hitler był w gruncie rzeczy figurą słono opłacaną przez Żydów, aby mogli oni, dzięki jego wyczynom, stać się opłakiwanymi przez cały świat ofiarami. Czytasz to i ponosi cię taka złość, że do rana nie możesz zmrużyć oka”.
Jak ja dobrze to rozumiem!
Zakochuję się więc w autorze i w jego bohaterze platonicznie (albo w bohaterze i autorze, bez znaczenia), od pierwszego wejrzenia. Zakładam na nos różowe okulary i niech mi tylko ktoś zaprzeczy, że Camilleri wielkim pisarzem był, to rozkrochmalę nochal na miazgę.
Rzeczywistość komisarza Montalbano i jego współpracowników to oaza normalności we współczesnym świecie, taka trochę z innej epoki, z czasów kiedy wszystko było lepsze i piękniejsze. Przypomina mi świat wykreowany przez Fred Vargas w jej kryminałach. Podobna ironia, dowcip, menażeria ludzka budząca uśmiech i sympatię. Detektyw optymistycznie patrzący na świat, ale również kontestujący rzeczywistość kiedy trzeba, przenikliwy i inteligentny, nie mający kłopotów z okazywaniem szacunku ludziom, z różnych powodów usuniętym na margines życia. Mechanizm identyfikacji działa tak mocno, że rozwiązuję zagadki niemalże wcielając się w bohatera.
Zaczęłam od zbioru opowiadań (Betsy, dzięki za podpowiedź), żeby poznać styl pisania autora, ocenić umiejętność opowiadania ciekawych historii i konstruowania intrygi. Camilleri mnie nie zawiódł, chociaż przyznam szczerze, że w niektórych opowiadaniach bardziej zachwycił mnie klimat opowieści, niż same anegdoty. Ale tak miało być i nie każdemu musi to odpowiadać. Jeżeli szukacie w kryminałach nagłych zwrotów akcji i efektownych cliffhangerów, to nie tutaj. Ale jeżeli potrzebujecie chwilki wytchnienia, zadumy nad otaczającym światem, kapki uśmiechu, i nie przeszkadza wam, że to wszystko okraszone jest niezłą zagadką kryminalną – czytajcie Camilleriego.
Na to, żeby delektować się tą czystą przyjemnością do woli, na razie nie zasłużyłam. Będę dawkować sobie Camilleriego z umiarem, jeśli uznam, że należy mi się nagroda.
https://www.czytacz.pl/2020/04/andrea...
April 27, 2015
Sono singoli brevi racconti che hanno tutti per oggetto le avventure e ..le disavventure del commissario Montalbano. L'ho letto tre volte senza annoiarmi mai.
October 28, 2020
Nuevo volumen de relatos breves, todos con encanto y varios muy originales, que reflejan la personalidad del maravilloso Comisario Montalbano, su carácter, su humanidad y sus principios morales. Una lectura muy agradable.
June 6, 2024
La Nochevieja de Montalbano – Publicado en el año 1999 y escrito por el autor italiano Andrea Camillieri es el segundo libro de historias cortas del comisario Montalbano, en esta ocasión son 20 (10 menos que en "Un mes con Montalbano").
Tienen todos un nivel bueno, algunas mejores que otras.
Mi favorita es Montalbano se rebela, no puedo decir de que va porque qué sino arruino la historia, pero si puedo decir que el formato de este cuento es MUY innovador, tal vez camina por la línea fina de la locura pero a mi gusto fue GENIAL.
Es raro encontrar libros de historias cortas que me gusten, pero este al igual que "Un mes con Montalbano" me gustaron mucho, creo que la gran razón es que el genio de Camilleri sabe que las historias cortas tienen que enfocarse distinto, tienen que atrapar pero también deben ser más ligeras para no tener que estar saltando de un drama al otro.
Otra gran razón de que sean muy buenas es que más allá de que no es una novela y por lo tanto la narrativa que se venía siguiendo se detiene, las historias siguen contando la vida de Montalbano, entonces siempre lo rodea el pueblo, los conocidos, los afectos... Son historias si se quiere menores que ayudan a seguir encariñándose con Salvo.
Una de las mejores sagas policiales que llevó leídas, con mucho humor y gran inteligencia.
Tienen todos un nivel bueno, algunas mejores que otras.
Mi favorita es Montalbano se rebela, no puedo decir de que va porque qué sino arruino la historia, pero si puedo decir que el formato de este cuento es MUY innovador, tal vez camina por la línea fina de la locura pero a mi gusto fue GENIAL.
Es raro encontrar libros de historias cortas que me gusten, pero este al igual que "Un mes con Montalbano" me gustaron mucho, creo que la gran razón es que el genio de Camilleri sabe que las historias cortas tienen que enfocarse distinto, tienen que atrapar pero también deben ser más ligeras para no tener que estar saltando de un drama al otro.
Otra gran razón de que sean muy buenas es que más allá de que no es una novela y por lo tanto la narrativa que se venía siguiendo se detiene, las historias siguen contando la vida de Montalbano, entonces siempre lo rodea el pueblo, los conocidos, los afectos... Son historias si se quiere menores que ayudan a seguir encariñándose con Salvo.
Una de las mejores sagas policiales que llevó leídas, con mucho humor y gran inteligencia.
December 12, 2023
"Gli arancini di Montalbano" si configura come una raccolta di brevi casi, tra cui alcuni mi hanno indubbiamente colpita più di altri. La scrittura di Camilleri è fresca e divertente, i casi mai banali e sempre intrisi di un'umanità sconvolgente.
È il primo libro che leggo della serie dedicata al commissario Montalbano. Un po' estenuata dalle continue repliche in Rai mi sono dovuta completamente ricredere (fiction compresa). Ho un debole per i personaggi che sento completamente autentici, senza filtri smielati e clichè, e Salvo Montalbano è uno di questi. L'integrità, la franchezza, l'estrema sensibilità nascosta dietro un'apparente durezza; la solitudine pensosa, la gelosia silenziosa. Sono caratteristiche sue e di nessun altro. Montalbano mi appare come una persona reale che posso conoscere strato per strato come farei con qualsiasi altro essere umano, e questa non è una cosa scontata in un romanzo. Anzi.
È il primo libro che leggo della serie dedicata al commissario Montalbano. Un po' estenuata dalle continue repliche in Rai mi sono dovuta completamente ricredere (fiction compresa). Ho un debole per i personaggi che sento completamente autentici, senza filtri smielati e clichè, e Salvo Montalbano è uno di questi. L'integrità, la franchezza, l'estrema sensibilità nascosta dietro un'apparente durezza; la solitudine pensosa, la gelosia silenziosa. Sono caratteristiche sue e di nessun altro. Montalbano mi appare come una persona reale che posso conoscere strato per strato come farei con qualsiasi altro essere umano, e questa non è una cosa scontata in un romanzo. Anzi.
January 1, 2021
Ennesima dimostrazione della bravura di Camilleri, capace di trasportare il lettore nello scenario della calda Sicilia solo attraverso il potere delle parole. Tra tutti ho preferito “Sostiene Pessoa” e “Catarella risolve un caso”.
March 10, 2023
i loved the montalbano character, because he is like me: he doesn’t care about anything. i just have to say that sometimes this was a little bit too fast.
September 26, 2019
Una - piacevole - rilettura, lo stile "siciliano" di Camilleri a me è sempre piaciuto e lo trovo facile da leggere. So che non si tratta di una vera resa di dialetto locale, ma al mio orecchio lombardo piace molto la musicalità che ne deriva.
La raccolta è scorrevole e presenta anche alcuni esempi di meta-letteratura: il racconto "Montalbano si rifiuta", per esempio, in cui il commissario telefona al suo autore dopo che gli sono capitate una serie di situazioni classiche del genere hard boiled a cui lui non solo non è avvezzo ma nemmeno vuole appartenere.
Credo che il capolavoro della raccolta sia però "Catarella risolve un caso", in cui il personaggio-macchietta di Catarella riesce a risolvere da solo un caso di omicidio.
La raccolta è scorrevole e presenta anche alcuni esempi di meta-letteratura: il racconto "Montalbano si rifiuta", per esempio, in cui il commissario telefona al suo autore dopo che gli sono capitate una serie di situazioni classiche del genere hard boiled a cui lui non solo non è avvezzo ma nemmeno vuole appartenere.
Credo che il capolavoro della raccolta sia però "Catarella risolve un caso", in cui il personaggio-macchietta di Catarella riesce a risolvere da solo un caso di omicidio.
July 19, 2019
Per chi non ha letto nulla di Camilleri, la raccolta "Gli arancini di Montalbano", è sicuramente uno specchio dello stile dell'autore. Si tratta di 20 brevi indagini, alcune più interessante di altre, che vedono impegnato il famoso commissario di Vigata e i suoi caratteristici collaboratori.
August 7, 2020
Camilleri si commenta da solo... Racconti belli, intriganti e divertenti a tratti. Consigliatissimo sotto l ombrellone o anche in attesa della sfornata di biscotti di natale, perché no. Distrazione dalle preoccupazioni, garantita!
December 15, 2023
Muy bueno Montalbano, y Sicilia.
Delincuentes de andar por casa, policías llanos y "con corazón"
Delincuentes de andar por casa, policías llanos y "con corazón"
March 24, 2020
Gli arancini di Montalbano è una raccolta di racconti, indagini sparse di Salvo Montalbano che, con la sua solita astuzia, riesce a risolvere. Rispetto ai romanzi, la narrazione è più veloce e scorrevole. All'inizio della lettura è stato un po' strano trovarsi davanti questo "nuovo modo" di raccontare le sue indagini ma rimane sempre una lettura piacevole e da non perdere.
August 12, 2021
Τα Πορτοκάλια του τίτλου καμιά σχέση δεν έχουν με πορτοκάλια, αλλά με ρυζοκεφτέδες, οι οποίοι είναι σε σχήμα και μέγεθος πορτοκαλιού που μετά το τηγάνισμα αποκτούν και το χρώμα του. Μια περίπλοκη συνταγή που αποτελεί μια από τις αγαπημένες του Σάλβο, σε τέτοιο σημείο, ώστε να παίρνει μερικές αναπάντεχες αποφάσεις. Στις είκοσι ιστορίες της συλλογής αναγνώρισα αρκετές που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν συμπληρωματικά ή αυτόνομες στα επεισόδια της ομώνυμης σειράς με σεναριακή επιδεξιότητα. H τηλεοπτική εικόνα αποδίδει στην εντέλεια την πολυποίκιλη σε χρώματα, τοπία και ζυμώσεις ανθρώπων Σικελία, που η ομορφιά της μπορεί να είναι ακόμα κι ένας σωρός από αρχαίες πέτρες πλάι σε ξερόχορτα. Και χωρίς να αλλοιώνει τον τόσο Σικελικό χαρακτήρα του Μονταλμπάνο (αλλά και αναβαθμίζοντας των υπολοίπων χαρακτήρων) αποδίδει μια διαχρονική αξία ενός πάνθεον αστυνομικής λογοτεχνίας εφάμιλλου με άλλα, διάσημα όμοιά του.
Στο βιβλίο τώρα. Η γραφή είναι λιτή και ρέει άνετα έχοντας μερικές φορές τον απόηχο ενός χαϊκού, με μια σύντομη πρόταση ή μερικές λέξεις σου δίνει απευθείας την εικόνα σαν μια καίρια σκηνή ταινίας. Άλλοτε οι ιστορίες είναι υπαινικτικά ευχάριστες με μια δόση ειρωνικής φιλοσοφίας κι άλλοτε είναι σαν δοκιμές καταστάσεων που δεν ευοδώθηκαν σε βιβλίο, απλώς γιατί δεν ήταν αναγκαίο, είπαν σε αυτή τη λίγη έκταση αυτά που είχαν να πουν. Ίσως σε κάποιους να ξενίσει η προτίμηση του επιθεωρητή στη λογοτεχνία και τη φιλοσοφία, ίσως επειδή λείπει ένα σχετικό υπόβαθρο, του πώς προέκυψε όλη αυτή η γνώση και η αυθόρμητη παράθεση συγγραφέων και λογοτεχνικών ή φιλοσοφικών αποσπασμάτων. Κρίμα που δεν θα μπορέσουμε να μάθουμε για την αρχή, πώς ήταν δηλαδή ο Μονταλμπάνο νέος, πώς δηλαδή προέκυψε όλο αυτό το σύνολο του χαρακτήρα του.
Στις ιστορίες του, μου άρεσαν οι περισσότερες για την ποικιλία στην προσέγγιση των αστυνομικών ιστοριών του που τις αναπτύσσει με μια δόση ψυχογραφήματος χωρίς το προβλέψιμο ύφος ενός τυπικού αμερικάνικου φιλμ νουάρ.
The οranges of the title have nothing to do with real oranges, instead, they are rice dumplings, which are in the shape and size of an orange and, after frying, they acquire its color. An intricate recipe and one of Salvo's favorite dishes. So much that he makes some unexpected decisions. In the twenty stories in the collection, I recognized several of them that were used together with other stories or as they are in the episodes of the homonymous series with great ability. The television series portrays perfectly the variety of colors, landscapes, and fermentations of the people of Sicily, whose beauty can be even a pile of ancient stones next to dry grass. And without altering Montalbano's so Sicilian character (but also by upgrading the other characters) he attaches a timeless value to a pantheon of crime fiction equal to other, famous ones.
Now let’s say about the book. The writing is effortless and flows comfortably, sometimes having the effect of a haiku, as with a short sentence or a few words gives you the image directly like a key movie scene. Sometimes the stories are tactfully enjoyable with a dose of ironic philosophy and other times they are like a test of a story that didn’t become a novel, simply because it wasn’t necessary, they said to this small extent what they had to say. Some readers may be surprised by the inspector's preference for literature and philosophy, perhaps because the author sometimes lacks a relevant background, of how all this knowledge and the spontaneous citation of writers and literary or philosophical passages came about. It is a pity that we won’t be able to know about the beginning, how Montalbano was young, and in which way all this whole of his character came about.
In his stories, I liked most of them for the variety in the approach to his detective stories that he develops in a psychographic way without the predictable style of a typical American film noir.
Στο βιβλίο τώρα. Η γραφή είναι λιτή και ρέει άνετα έχοντας μερικές φορές τον απόηχο ενός χαϊκού, με μια σύντομη πρόταση ή μερικές λέξεις σου δίνει απευθείας την εικόνα σαν μια καίρια σκηνή ταινίας. Άλλοτε οι ιστορίες είναι υπαινικτικά ευχάριστες με μια δόση ειρωνικής φιλοσοφίας κι άλλοτε είναι σαν δοκιμές καταστάσεων που δεν ευοδώθηκαν σε βιβλίο, απλώς γιατί δεν ήταν αναγκαίο, είπαν σε αυτή τη λίγη έκταση αυτά που είχαν να πουν. Ίσως σε κάποιους να ξενίσει η προτίμηση του επιθεωρητή στη λογοτεχνία και τη φιλοσοφία, ίσως επειδή λείπει ένα σχετικό υπόβαθρο, του πώς προέκυψε όλη αυτή η γνώση και η αυθόρμητη παράθεση συγγραφέων και λογοτεχνικών ή φιλοσοφικών αποσπασμάτων. Κρίμα που δεν θα μπορέσουμε να μάθουμε για την αρχή, πώς ήταν δηλαδή ο Μονταλμπάνο νέος, πώς δηλαδή προέκυψε όλο αυτό το σύνολο του χαρακτήρα του.
Στις ιστορίες του, μου άρεσαν οι περισσότερες για την ποικιλία στην προσέγγιση των αστυνομικών ιστοριών του που τις αναπτύσσει με μια δόση ψυχογραφήματος χωρίς το προβλέψιμο ύφος ενός τυπικού αμερικάνικου φιλμ νουάρ.
The οranges of the title have nothing to do with real oranges, instead, they are rice dumplings, which are in the shape and size of an orange and, after frying, they acquire its color. An intricate recipe and one of Salvo's favorite dishes. So much that he makes some unexpected decisions. In the twenty stories in the collection, I recognized several of them that were used together with other stories or as they are in the episodes of the homonymous series with great ability. The television series portrays perfectly the variety of colors, landscapes, and fermentations of the people of Sicily, whose beauty can be even a pile of ancient stones next to dry grass. And without altering Montalbano's so Sicilian character (but also by upgrading the other characters) he attaches a timeless value to a pantheon of crime fiction equal to other, famous ones.
Now let’s say about the book. The writing is effortless and flows comfortably, sometimes having the effect of a haiku, as with a short sentence or a few words gives you the image directly like a key movie scene. Sometimes the stories are tactfully enjoyable with a dose of ironic philosophy and other times they are like a test of a story that didn’t become a novel, simply because it wasn’t necessary, they said to this small extent what they had to say. Some readers may be surprised by the inspector's preference for literature and philosophy, perhaps because the author sometimes lacks a relevant background, of how all this knowledge and the spontaneous citation of writers and literary or philosophical passages came about. It is a pity that we won’t be able to know about the beginning, how Montalbano was young, and in which way all this whole of his character came about.
In his stories, I liked most of them for the variety in the approach to his detective stories that he develops in a psychographic way without the predictable style of a typical American film noir.
December 29, 2025
Sorting through my Italian-language TBR pile, I discovered 4 books by Andrea Camilleri (1925-2019), collected at various times and places over the past couple of years, and decided it was time to tackle them.
Using this site, I put them in (chronological) order — even though I'd never get through all the books in the series, I figured it'd be best to at least read the ones I do have in proper order. And man, I was surprised by how many books are in the series (not all are translated into English). Camilleri is truly a prolific and influential (more on that later) writer.
I do have a special appreciation for the Italian giallo, so I was looking forward to getting to know this new commissario (Salvo Montalbano)!
Okay, with that preamble, I began "Gli arancini di Montalbano", the earliest-published of my four Camilleri books.
Two things right off the bat:
1) This is a collection of short stories (20 of them).
2) There's a heck of a lot of Sicilian words used (I'd say on average 1 or 2 per sentence throughout the book).
Okay, as to the first point: I generally prefer novels to short stories, and, in fact, I often tend to avoid short stories in English. But being somewhat more limited in what I can find to read in Italian, I'm much more willing to go with short stories. And I'm glad. I've been finding that I really like the Italian short stories I've read of late.
(For example, "Il nuovo che avanza" by Michele Serra, "Il taglio del bosco" by Carlo Cassola, "Come fratelli" by Enrico Dal Buono, and "La boutique del mistero" by Dino Buzzati, to name some recent collections.)
What's more, I think starting with Montalbano via these short stories was the perfect introduction. It allowed me to get to know the character (and his colleagues) through 20 little vignettes which were nearly all (I'll get to the one exception later) interesting and well worth reading.
Now to the second point: Just as I was initially disappointed by discovering a collection of short stories instead of a novel, and then finding that disappointment becoming appreciation and even gladness, I was at first disappointed by all the unfamiliar Sicilian words, only to completely change my mind after a bit.
(Quick linguistic tangent: I understand that most Italians call Sicilian a "dialect" and that's fine — who am I to tell Italians how to define their own words?! But more scientifically, Sicilian is a language, a so-called Romance language, just as French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, and standard Italian are languages. Since Sicily isn't its own nation, but rather a part of Italy, Sicilian has thus become widely known as a "dialect", even if modern linguistics doesn't agree.)
Getting back to "Gli arancini di Montalbano", I'm not sure exactly why, but I love the Italian giallo (similar police/detective/crime novels in English don't appeal to me very much). Oddly, I feel "at home" in the language, the situations, the style of so many giallo writers. They're wonderful escapist literature for me, becoming almost a guilty pleasure.
And something about Camilleri's writing feels even more "at home". I grew to love the Sicilian words, love sounding them out in my head, love the rhythm of his sentences. But there's more. I think it was the often dry, sardonic humor that really sold me. A lot of the humor comes from Montalbano's exchanges with one of his men, Catarella (Catarè). In fact, Catarella is a sort of childlike, simple fellow. At one point he was talking about a "banker" and after a bit, Montalbano tells him the word is actually "bunker". After that, Catarella keeps calling it a "banbunker." Catarella seems to work the night shift and often calls his boss early in the morning, frequently using the phrase (or similar) "pirsonalmente di pirsona" (~"personally in person") to ask if he's talking to Montalbano in person (who else would answer his phone and wouldn't he recognize his boss's voice after a few years?). Catarella also comes out with strange and twisted sentences that make me chuckle. ("Hanno arritovato la machina [trovato la macchina] della signora Pagnozzi e del di lui di lei marito, il commendatore." [the car that belonged to her and her husband])
Another amusing, random little snide comment: "Una casa ariosa con mobili di così cattivo gusto che uno, per sceglierli, doveva averci studiato."
In one story ("La revisione"), Montalbano reads a "giallo di Lucarelli", which made me smile, as I love Lucarelli. I've reviewed five of his books here on this site, and I'd highly recommend "Almost Blue" (which is actually the Italian title).
If there's one thing lacking, perhaps it's a bit more of Montalbano's "interiorità" — (sometimes words come to me first in Italian, perhaps because they make more sense and we don't have as sharp a word in English. Here I'd say "his inner thoughts and dialogue") — although I don't mind. With short stories perhaps there's not space for too much pensiveness. There's not a huge amount of physical description of him either, and that also doesn't seem to bother me.
The dialogue and straightforward action sweeps me up and carries me along for an enjoyable ride. Most of the stories were actually rather clever, with Montalbano solving some crime or mystery. But there was one story I hated ("Montalbano si ritira") and would suggest you simply skip reading it. On one hand, I can appreciate the experimental, original nature of the story, breaking the fourth wall as it does (in some ways, it sort of reminded me of one of those experimental episodes of TV's "Moonlighting" years ago), but yuck, I hated it. I knew there was someone off — way off — about the story right away, and it just kept going downhill until the final crazy twist that made me shake my head in pained disbelief. But one clunker story in twenty didn't put me off in the least. This collection deserves five stars because it thoroughly entertained me and I'm looking forward to the other three Montalbano books in my TBR pile!
Oh, the part above where I mentioned Camilleri's influence. Italians already know this, but perhaps some anglophones reading this don't: the book series (well over 20 books) was made into an Italian TV series: "Il commissario Montalbano" which ran for 37 episodes from 1999 to 2021 (according to Wikipedia).
Anyway, when I first started reading the stories, I wasn't finding the Sicilian words in regular Italian dictionaries (obviously), so I used Google search AI by phrasing the question in Italian (asking in English was next to worthless). The result (in Italian) frequently said that the word was Sicilian and popularized by X's work ("...nel dialetto e nell'uso camilleriano assume il significato di..."). I got answers citing Camilleri countless times, so it seems his success has brought several Sicilian words to greater national recognition. (I also found and bookmarked a fan-made glossary which lists several hundred of Camilleri's Sicilian words and explains them in standard Italian.)
Using this site, I put them in (chronological) order — even though I'd never get through all the books in the series, I figured it'd be best to at least read the ones I do have in proper order. And man, I was surprised by how many books are in the series (not all are translated into English). Camilleri is truly a prolific and influential (more on that later) writer.
I do have a special appreciation for the Italian giallo, so I was looking forward to getting to know this new commissario (Salvo Montalbano)!
Okay, with that preamble, I began "Gli arancini di Montalbano", the earliest-published of my four Camilleri books.
Two things right off the bat:
1) This is a collection of short stories (20 of them).
2) There's a heck of a lot of Sicilian words used (I'd say on average 1 or 2 per sentence throughout the book).
Okay, as to the first point: I generally prefer novels to short stories, and, in fact, I often tend to avoid short stories in English. But being somewhat more limited in what I can find to read in Italian, I'm much more willing to go with short stories. And I'm glad. I've been finding that I really like the Italian short stories I've read of late.
(For example, "Il nuovo che avanza" by Michele Serra, "Il taglio del bosco" by Carlo Cassola, "Come fratelli" by Enrico Dal Buono, and "La boutique del mistero" by Dino Buzzati, to name some recent collections.)
What's more, I think starting with Montalbano via these short stories was the perfect introduction. It allowed me to get to know the character (and his colleagues) through 20 little vignettes which were nearly all (I'll get to the one exception later) interesting and well worth reading.
Now to the second point: Just as I was initially disappointed by discovering a collection of short stories instead of a novel, and then finding that disappointment becoming appreciation and even gladness, I was at first disappointed by all the unfamiliar Sicilian words, only to completely change my mind after a bit.
(Quick linguistic tangent: I understand that most Italians call Sicilian a "dialect" and that's fine — who am I to tell Italians how to define their own words?! But more scientifically, Sicilian is a language, a so-called Romance language, just as French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, and standard Italian are languages. Since Sicily isn't its own nation, but rather a part of Italy, Sicilian has thus become widely known as a "dialect", even if modern linguistics doesn't agree.)
Getting back to "Gli arancini di Montalbano", I'm not sure exactly why, but I love the Italian giallo (similar police/detective/crime novels in English don't appeal to me very much). Oddly, I feel "at home" in the language, the situations, the style of so many giallo writers. They're wonderful escapist literature for me, becoming almost a guilty pleasure.
And something about Camilleri's writing feels even more "at home". I grew to love the Sicilian words, love sounding them out in my head, love the rhythm of his sentences. But there's more. I think it was the often dry, sardonic humor that really sold me. A lot of the humor comes from Montalbano's exchanges with one of his men, Catarella (Catarè). In fact, Catarella is a sort of childlike, simple fellow. At one point he was talking about a "banker" and after a bit, Montalbano tells him the word is actually "bunker". After that, Catarella keeps calling it a "banbunker." Catarella seems to work the night shift and often calls his boss early in the morning, frequently using the phrase (or similar) "pirsonalmente di pirsona" (~"personally in person") to ask if he's talking to Montalbano in person (who else would answer his phone and wouldn't he recognize his boss's voice after a few years?). Catarella also comes out with strange and twisted sentences that make me chuckle. ("Hanno arritovato la machina [trovato la macchina] della signora Pagnozzi e del di lui di lei marito, il commendatore." [the car that belonged to her and her husband])
Another amusing, random little snide comment: "Una casa ariosa con mobili di così cattivo gusto che uno, per sceglierli, doveva averci studiato."
In one story ("La revisione"), Montalbano reads a "giallo di Lucarelli", which made me smile, as I love Lucarelli. I've reviewed five of his books here on this site, and I'd highly recommend "Almost Blue" (which is actually the Italian title).
If there's one thing lacking, perhaps it's a bit more of Montalbano's "interiorità" — (sometimes words come to me first in Italian, perhaps because they make more sense and we don't have as sharp a word in English. Here I'd say "his inner thoughts and dialogue") — although I don't mind. With short stories perhaps there's not space for too much pensiveness. There's not a huge amount of physical description of him either, and that also doesn't seem to bother me.
The dialogue and straightforward action sweeps me up and carries me along for an enjoyable ride. Most of the stories were actually rather clever, with Montalbano solving some crime or mystery. But there was one story I hated ("Montalbano si ritira") and would suggest you simply skip reading it. On one hand, I can appreciate the experimental, original nature of the story, breaking the fourth wall as it does (in some ways, it sort of reminded me of one of those experimental episodes of TV's "Moonlighting" years ago), but yuck, I hated it. I knew there was someone off — way off — about the story right away, and it just kept going downhill until the final crazy twist that made me shake my head in pained disbelief. But one clunker story in twenty didn't put me off in the least. This collection deserves five stars because it thoroughly entertained me and I'm looking forward to the other three Montalbano books in my TBR pile!
Oh, the part above where I mentioned Camilleri's influence. Italians already know this, but perhaps some anglophones reading this don't: the book series (well over 20 books) was made into an Italian TV series: "Il commissario Montalbano" which ran for 37 episodes from 1999 to 2021 (according to Wikipedia).
Anyway, when I first started reading the stories, I wasn't finding the Sicilian words in regular Italian dictionaries (obviously), so I used Google search AI by phrasing the question in Italian (asking in English was next to worthless). The result (in Italian) frequently said that the word was Sicilian and popularized by X's work ("...nel dialetto e nell'uso camilleriano assume il significato di..."). I got answers citing Camilleri countless times, so it seems his success has brought several Sicilian words to greater national recognition. (I also found and bookmarked a fan-made glossary which lists several hundred of Camilleri's Sicilian words and explains them in standard Italian.)
May 10, 2020
E' solo il secondo libro di Camilleri che leggo (il precedente nel 1998) perchè non mi sono mai sentito attratto dalle sue opere, nè ho mai visto le fiction televisive del suo commissario Montalbano, ma questa antologia è davvero spassosa e permette di conoscere oltre che l'abilità di Montalbano commissario nel districare matasse criminali ingarbugliate anche l'uomo Montalbano, i suoi pregi e i suoi difetti, cosa che rende questo libro ancora più apprezzabile e godibile
February 11, 2020
Come si fa a non amare Camilleri, il commissario Montalbano, Catarella, Fazio, Mimì e tutta la compagnia? Li si adora sempre e comunque. E quando poi si tratta di storie brevi ma intense come nel caso degli Arancini, li si ama ancora di più.
Se volete farvi un viaggio a tappe, piuttosto che leggere dalla prima a l'ultima in sequenza, iniziate dalla storia "Montalbano si rifiuta".
Grazie, Maestro! Come sempre.
Se volete farvi un viaggio a tappe, piuttosto che leggere dalla prima a l'ultima in sequenza, iniziate dalla storia "Montalbano si rifiuta".
Grazie, Maestro! Come sempre.
May 11, 2012
l'avevo letto molti anni fa. Uno dei primi della serie, lo ricordavo come un libro molto bello, ma rileggendolo l'ho trovato un po' sotto la media degli altri libri, forse per la brevità delle storie o forse solo perchè conoscevo già la fine. Peccato!
May 25, 2016
Questo enorme libro dedicato a Montalbano contiene 20 indagini brevi ma intense che vedono impegnato il commissario di Vigata e i suoi colleghi, una meravigliosa raccolta di racconti come sempre godibili e divertenti. Camilleri si conferma una garanzia, anche se i romanzi mi piacciono di più.
July 20, 2014
Καταχώρησα ένα βιβλίο στο BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12397305
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12397305
January 23, 2015
Típico Montalbano, pero en breves cuentos. Digamos que están orientados a la intriga y su resolución. Hay poco humor y poca vida sentimental.
August 24, 2020
Świetne! Oglądałabym to na Nfliksie jak dziki jeż!
December 12, 2024
Yo también haría lo que fuese por probar esos arancini...
July 15, 2023
Arriva l’estate e non c’è niente di meglio che immergersi nei gialli, specialmente se accompagnati dallo stile di Andrea Camilleri e il “teatro” di personaggi che riempiono le sue storie.
Per quanto il genere dei racconti stia sempre abdicando il suo appeal a favore dei romanzi, grazie alla serie – letteraria e televisiva – del Commissario Montalbano, Andrea Camilleri riesce comunque a far interessare il lettore e ad avvicinare anche coloro che non sono “lettori forti” alla parola scritta che narra delle indagini del commissario di Vigata.
Un punto di forza in questi racconti è il loro essere autoconclusivi, tanto che se ne potrebbe interrompere la lettura senza patire una eventuale interruzione per qualche tempo, pur godendo della leggerezza con cui Camilleri apparecchia le sue storie, incuriosendo e intrigando il lettore, senza dimenticare di farlo divertire con qualche gag dell’ormai iconico personaggio Catarella o le solite storpiature che discendono dal passaggio dal siciliano frequentemente parlato dai personaggi secondari e l’italiano.
Ci sono stati alcuni racconti molto interessanti e ben congegnati nelle dinamiche, permettendo di fare osservare e meravigliarsi dell’acume con cui Salvo Montalbano chiude i suoi casi, ma allo stesso tempo è stato interessante ritrovare in qualche altro racconto un diverso stile narrativo. Uno dei racconti di questo tipo e che ho particolarmente apprezzato è stato “Montalbano si rifiuta”, in cui l’autore infrange la quarta parete, entrando in dialogo diretto con il commissario. Mi è molto piaciuta questa scelta narrativa, che ha evidenziato maggiormente il divertimento e la voglia di giocare con i suoi personaggi dell’autore.
La raccolta di racconti è stata gradevolissima, una bella lettura estiva, ma che si adatta indubbiamente a qualsiasi stagione, come d’altronde ogni romanzo di Camilleri.
Per quanto il genere dei racconti stia sempre abdicando il suo appeal a favore dei romanzi, grazie alla serie – letteraria e televisiva – del Commissario Montalbano, Andrea Camilleri riesce comunque a far interessare il lettore e ad avvicinare anche coloro che non sono “lettori forti” alla parola scritta che narra delle indagini del commissario di Vigata.
Un punto di forza in questi racconti è il loro essere autoconclusivi, tanto che se ne potrebbe interrompere la lettura senza patire una eventuale interruzione per qualche tempo, pur godendo della leggerezza con cui Camilleri apparecchia le sue storie, incuriosendo e intrigando il lettore, senza dimenticare di farlo divertire con qualche gag dell’ormai iconico personaggio Catarella o le solite storpiature che discendono dal passaggio dal siciliano frequentemente parlato dai personaggi secondari e l’italiano.
Ci sono stati alcuni racconti molto interessanti e ben congegnati nelle dinamiche, permettendo di fare osservare e meravigliarsi dell’acume con cui Salvo Montalbano chiude i suoi casi, ma allo stesso tempo è stato interessante ritrovare in qualche altro racconto un diverso stile narrativo. Uno dei racconti di questo tipo e che ho particolarmente apprezzato è stato “Montalbano si rifiuta”, in cui l’autore infrange la quarta parete, entrando in dialogo diretto con il commissario. Mi è molto piaciuta questa scelta narrativa, che ha evidenziato maggiormente il divertimento e la voglia di giocare con i suoi personaggi dell’autore.
La raccolta di racconti è stata gradevolissima, una bella lettura estiva, ma che si adatta indubbiamente a qualsiasi stagione, come d’altronde ogni romanzo di Camilleri.
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