What do you think?
Rate this book
Breathe
Marco Pazzolini always dreamed of becoming a professional musician. Just as his dream started to come true he soon discovered that it was not all he expected it to be. On the verge of popularity, he threw it all away and ran off to find peace and quiet on a small Greek island in the middle of the Mediterranean. For the next twenty years of his life he’s lived a quiet, peaceful, albeit frugal existence. Then one day Marco’s estranged daughter unexpectedly turns up, threatening the tranquil existence he worked so hard to cultivate.
466 pages, Paperback
Published June 14, 2016
6 people want to read
About the author
Julian Gallo
57 books64 followersJulian Gallo is the author of 'Existential Labyrinths', 'Last Tondero in Paris', 'The Penguin and The Bird' and other novels. His short fiction has appeared in The Sultan's Seal (Cairo), Exit Strata, Budget Press Review, Indie Ink, Short Fiction UK, P.S. I Love You, The Dope Fiend Daily, The Rye Whiskey Review, Latinoture, Angles, Verdad, Modern Literature (India), Mediterranean Poetry (St. Pierre and Miquelon), Borderless Journal (Singapore), Woven Tales, Wilderness House, Egophobia (Romania), Plato’s Caves, Avalon Literary Review, VIA: Voices in Italian Americana, The Argyle, Doublespeak Magazine (India), Bardics Anonymous, Tones of Citrus, The Cry Lounge (Germany), Deal Jam, 22/28, Active Muse (India), Zero Readers, Hominum Journal, Write Now Lit (Nigeria), MiniMAG, Paradox Magazine, Penman Review, Lowestoft Chronicles, Pattern Marrow Magazine, Lanae, Flora Fauna (Upcoming), and Pattern Recognition (Upcoming).
His poetry has appeared in over 40 journals throughout the Unites States, Canada and Europe. He is the author of 9 poetry books, "Standing on Lorimer Street Awaiting Crucifixion" (Alpha Beat Press 1996), "The Terror of Your Cunt is the Beauty of Your Face" (Black Spring Press 1999), "Street Gospel Mystical Intellectual Survival Codes" (Budget Press 2000), "Scrape That Violin More Darkly Then Hover Like Smoke in the Air" (Black Spring Press 2001), "Existential Labyrinths" (Black Spring Press 2003), "My Arrival is Marked by Illuminating Stains" (Beat Corrida, 2007), "Window Shopping For a New Crown of Thorns" (Beat Corrida, 2007), "A Symphony of Olives" (Propaganda Press 2009) and "Divertimiento" (Propaganda Press 2009).
A collection of flash fictions, 'Bedtime Stories: Subconscious Fictions 1987-2017' (Surreal Estate) was published in 2018.
His most recent chapbook, "Letter To My Seven Year Old Self" was published by Budget Press in 2015.
He has also contributed articles to Expats Post, Creative Flux, The Operating System, Angie's Diary, Life Riddles, The Good Men Project, and Ovunque Siamo
He was also a featured guest speaker at the Blogger Interactive conference in Austin, Texas in 2013.
His poetry has appeared in over 40 journals throughout the Unites States, Canada and Europe. He is the author of 9 poetry books, "Standing on Lorimer Street Awaiting Crucifixion" (Alpha Beat Press 1996), "The Terror of Your Cunt is the Beauty of Your Face" (Black Spring Press 1999), "Street Gospel Mystical Intellectual Survival Codes" (Budget Press 2000), "Scrape That Violin More Darkly Then Hover Like Smoke in the Air" (Black Spring Press 2001), "Existential Labyrinths" (Black Spring Press 2003), "My Arrival is Marked by Illuminating Stains" (Beat Corrida, 2007), "Window Shopping For a New Crown of Thorns" (Beat Corrida, 2007), "A Symphony of Olives" (Propaganda Press 2009) and "Divertimiento" (Propaganda Press 2009).
A collection of flash fictions, 'Bedtime Stories: Subconscious Fictions 1987-2017' (Surreal Estate) was published in 2018.
His most recent chapbook, "Letter To My Seven Year Old Self" was published by Budget Press in 2015.
He has also contributed articles to Expats Post, Creative Flux, The Operating System, Angie's Diary, Life Riddles, The Good Men Project, and Ovunque Siamo
He was also a featured guest speaker at the Blogger Interactive conference in Austin, Texas in 2013.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 6, 2023
Breathe in, Breathe out, and relax.
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2023
Sometimes life happens so fast, you just gotta stop and breathe. This is the epiphany of Marco Pazzolini, a folk/punk musician who made it big in the NYC music scene, only to abandon everything for a simpler life on a remote Mediterranean island. However the story spreads out to include Marco's wife Jennifer, his daughter Jenna, his old salt buddy Christos and his son. After the opening segment, the novel presents a triplych of backstories for Marco, Christos and Jenna. When you read those parts, the characters and backstories merge into a touching, psychologically insightful epiphany about the true meaning of life.....human connections. In Gallo's hands, what could be sentimental and fluffy, becomes more philosophical, with a twist of dark humor. The book's style is succinct, razor sharp and fast moving. The writer's style shifts here, from the more abstract and metaphorical language of his previous work in the Julio books. ( November Rust etc.)
Everything in the book; the plot, the characters, the style, is thoroughly entertaining. Although the Julio novels may be my favorite of Gallo's work, I'm a big fan of Breathe. The characters especially so. It's impossible not to love this book. If you're new to Gallo's novels, starting with Breathe is my recommendation.
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2023
Sometimes life happens so fast, you just gotta stop and breathe. This is the epiphany of Marco Pazzolini, a folk/punk musician who made it big in the NYC music scene, only to abandon everything for a simpler life on a remote Mediterranean island. However the story spreads out to include Marco's wife Jennifer, his daughter Jenna, his old salt buddy Christos and his son. After the opening segment, the novel presents a triplych of backstories for Marco, Christos and Jenna. When you read those parts, the characters and backstories merge into a touching, psychologically insightful epiphany about the true meaning of life.....human connections. In Gallo's hands, what could be sentimental and fluffy, becomes more philosophical, with a twist of dark humor. The book's style is succinct, razor sharp and fast moving. The writer's style shifts here, from the more abstract and metaphorical language of his previous work in the Julio books. ( November Rust etc.)
Everything in the book; the plot, the characters, the style, is thoroughly entertaining. Although the Julio novels may be my favorite of Gallo's work, I'm a big fan of Breathe. The characters especially so. It's impossible not to love this book. If you're new to Gallo's novels, starting with Breathe is my recommendation.
April 18, 2026
Gallo's fantasy about a washed up Greenwich village folk musician, Marco, who gets rediscovered 20 years later, and becomes hugely successful. Meanwhile, Marco has escaped his NYC life for a simple existence on a lost Greek island. He reconnects with his estranged daughter. The novel is called Breathe, to remind people to just relax. And breathe.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews