The broken fountain

Columbia Classics in Anthropology

by Thomas Belmonte

As Ida Susser writes in reference to Belmonte's Broken Fountain , "good ethnographies have long lives." This classic of urban anthropology, one of the most acclaimed ethnographies of recent years, offers vivid, literary descriptions of Fontana del Re, an impoverished Neapolitan neighborhood. Belmonte documents the struggles of Neapolitans surrounded by crumbling buildings and economic insecurity. He details family dynamics as well as the workings of Naples's informal economy, the day-to-day struggle for economic subsistence, and the intermittent begging and thieving of the young. Taking us from the bustling, vibrant, and gritty streets and alleyways of Naples to the kitchen tables of poor Neapolitan homes, Belmonte resists simplistic depictions of the poor. Instead, he presents subtle, compelling portraits and analyses that capture the emotional, social, and economic lives of his subjects. In addition to the continuing relevance of his insights into the effects of poverty, Belmonte's willingness to reflect on his own reactions and emotions while in the field has influenced a generation of scholars. In The Broken Fountain , he poignantly describes the experience of living alone in a strange urban environment and his interactions with the residents of Fontana del Re.

Genres: Anthropology, Ethnography, Nonfiction, Italy

151 pages, Hardcover

First published July 28, 1979

Reviews

[Andrea Giglio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho sempre pensato a quanto sia mal posta e ingenua l’idea che alcuni esseri umani possano accettare e amare la vita nonostante le condizioni di estrema difficoltà in cui versano. Eppure Belmonte sembra soffermarsi più volte su questo conflitto alla base del quale c’è una costante tensione tra l’abbraccio rassicurante della famiglia e le istanze di emancipazione del singolo che dalla famiglia stessa viene spesso svilito e soffocato

[Gianluca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro molto bello. Anche se la casa editrice gioca un po' sui vari volti di questo libro, non aspettatevi una lettura agevolissima e meno che mai avvicinabile alla narrativa. La fontana rotta è, in prima istanza, un saggio di taglio antropologico, e di questa disciplina riprende il lessico, il riferimento alle tecniche di ricerca e alle teorie di antropologia culturale ecc. Se masticate un po' i rudimenti, sicuramente ve lo godrete di più. Poi, certo, ci sono Napoli, le famiglie che Belmonte incontra, i grandi gesti di accoglienza e gli episodi dolorosi, la fatica e il piacere che la ricerca sul campo porta con sé, tutti elementi che lo rendono un libro molto umano, oltreché di interesse scientifico.

[Abhignya Thakore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written (if a little florid at the outset)-- this is a highly readable account of the Naples slums by an academic sociologist that reads as a series on vignettes and tableaus. IMO Belmonte's generalizations about the global poor, and what it feels like to live in poverty, come across as overbroad, even if he is open about the limitations of his method. Still, the domestic scenes are sharply drawn and provide a vivid picture at least into the lives of the handful of families with whom he became close during his time at "Fontana del Re"

[Laboratory Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our favorite work of ethnographic porn. Reads like a novel, mostly. Great ending.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible and informative. Author spends time immersed in the poverty classes of Naples, Italy.

[Gianni Ascione · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Napoli ogni verità antipatica è sempre veicolata attraverso lo scherzo.

[meg b]

Read for class, found it interesting but perhaps a spectacularized or dramatized version of life in Fontana del Re.

[HeavyReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

When one of my anthropology professors suggested that I submit my paper on a Tool concert for consideration to an anthropology conference, he also suggested that I read this book and somehow work something from it into my paper. I read it and worked in something, and my paper was accepted to be read at the conference in Raleigh, NC. I read the paper while suffering from massive stomach cramps due to food poisoning. Ouch!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Even though it was written a while back, it is so beautifully written that it remains an all-time favorite ethnography. I recently took a trip to Naples and found myself rereading it once again. His vivid descriptions of street life in Naples continue to captivate me...and Belmonte's writing about poverty and desperation never feels exploitative. Rather, his sensitivity comes through in every chapter.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review is mixed - when he writes anecdotes, it's great - he has a good narrative style and really brings you into the scene, and you get a sense for the characters that populate this small corner of Naples.

But between his sketches, when he tries to make order and sense out of the reality in anthropology terms, his writing is bogged down in unnecessary purple prose and allusions.

[Raffaele Calvanese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il modo migliore per parlare di Napoli è farlo fare ad uno straniero.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would read again