Quote:
Originally Posted by sun surfer
As with other months of this club's nominations, I'm interested in so many of the works that I'm having a hard time deciding which to support.
beppe, I read your post on Christ Stopped At Eboli and it seems as if you wouldn't quite view it as non-fiction (you mention that you see it as a narrative, a novel and as minor neorealism), so I searched a little on the internet on the subject.
The few answers I found are mixed.
In some places it is called a "documentary novel".
One blog reviewer said that "it's not quite a non-fiction novel because it lacks a singular plot strand and focuses more on anecdotes and observations".
One editorial review pointed out that "Levi also wrote non-fiction", which would of course lead one to believe that this reviewer didn't consider this as non-fiction.
Some sites though categorise this book as non-fiction.
Then there is this review: "Though called a novel, Christ Stopped at Eboli is really nonfiction. Levi changed the name of his town, Aliano, to Gagliano, but other than such minimal changes, most of the accounts in the 'novel' are true."
And I have a question: As far as this being neorealism, couldn't neorealism literature also be considered non-fiction?
All in all, my impression is that this work is somewhat of a blend. In my opinion at the moment, from reading the reviews, it seems to be largely non-fiction though, and thus seems to be appropriate for this month.
However, I leave it up to others to give their opinion on the matter too, should anyone else so desire.
ETA - I forgot to mention, it is interesting to note that when googling "christ stopped at eboli fiction non-fiction", this thread is on the first page of results!
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In my post, rather provincially, I had in mind the Italian neorealism. It is mostly known in the cinematographic aspects. In the cinema domain the Italian neorealism has influenced significantly a number of tendencies, schools and movements, la nouvelle vague for instance, the polish popular cinema and last but not least, the Danish Dogma 65.
The literary neorealism developed together with the cinema, in the years immediately following the second world war. It is characterized by a common interest for the humbles, bordering on populism, and a general political and ideological color. A clear reaction to the rethoric of the previous regime. It also became its own rethoric (celebration of itself) in due time. It is mostly based on episodes and sketches of everyday life. Like in cinema, often non professional actors were used, so in the literary works, are not the characters at the center of the attention, but the events in their every day life. So, there is not a plot as such, but the unfolding of events. Narrative or not narrative, that is a question that escapes my judgement. It seems to be that you and the reviewer imply that if the stories are true then they are non-fiction. A very argueable point of view, which I do not share. The book is not an essay, that is for sure. May be is that that I take for non fiction, an essay, a pamphlet.
In practice, take note that I gave my last vote to it
