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Fascinating book (yet another one!)

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Post by la alma Fri May 23, 2014 8:44 am

I'm sorry I'm a bit predictable, mainly posting about books, but reading is my main addiction. A friend lent me this one and I'd never heard of it, although I'm sure some of you must know of it. It was published in English in 1952 and is classed as a masterpiece by Italian writer Riccardo Bacchelli. The Mill on the Po consists of the first 2 parts of a trilogy covering the period 1812 to 1872, about several generations of millers on the river Po. The third part of the trilogy is in another book and I think ends in the first world war.
There are nearly 600 pages and I struggled a bit with the first few but am now on page 112 and already gripped enough to reccommend it. There was also a film made based on the book. There is quite a lot of information about it on various sites so worth looking up.
Back to Italy on the 7th June and the weather forecast for the preceeding week looks dire so far. Hope the fireflies aren't frightened away.
Ps if anyone has read all three books of the trilogy I would be interested in their opinion of them.

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Post by stevegwmonkseaton Fri May 23, 2014 10:59 am

La alma, you have far too much time on your hands! Thanks for the information, I just need to find time to read now...

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Post by Perlasca Fri May 23, 2014 4:34 pm

Thanks Alma - another one for my list.....
 Smile

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Post by Perlasca Fri May 23, 2014 4:40 pm

Alma - you can buy the third volume here
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=10650793329&searchurl=an%3Dbacchelli%26amp%3Bbsi%3D0%26amp%3Bds%3D30%26amp%3Bsortby%3D3%26amp%3Btn%3Dthe%2Bmill%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bpo

I've just bought the first volume so we may need to discuss swapsies at some point!

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Post by la alma Sat May 24, 2014 7:37 am

I haven't got nearly enough time on my hands unfortunately as I still work full time. Hope to stagger through to retirement in the not too distant future. I must admit though that things like dusting are completely ignored when I have a good book. (Even when I haven't too I'm afraid).
Thanks for the link to the next book Perlasca. Mine is the treasured possession of my friend, who wants it back. (May be a while before she gets it with 600 pages to digest). I hope you enjoy it anyway.

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Post by Gala Placidia Sat May 24, 2014 3:10 pm

I think that, if I manage to read it all, I am beating you, la alma. Currently struggling with a trilogy in Italian: "Il Romanzo dell' Imperio Romano" by Giulio Castelli, all 1342 pages! It consists of three novels: "Imperator", "Gli Ultimi Fuocchi dell'Imperio Romano" and "476 A.D. L'Ultimo Imperatore". Fascinating, but very hard work. It is going to take me a long time...
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Post by JulianaAlice Sat May 24, 2014 11:19 pm

Alma - I have ordered both volumes from Amazon. I like a big read.

By the way I did buy Tim Parks' book, and it wasn't too bad. What a Face Just a touch bitty, I thought.
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Post by la alma Sun May 25, 2014 8:40 pm

You are beating me Gala - but only because you get massive brownie points for reading books in Italian while I am far too lazy and it would take me far too long. I read A Suitable Boy years ago and I just checked and it has nearly 1500 pages. It took me a year to read! This is because I like to read a meaty book slowly so I can digest it all, and I frequently reread bits I think are particularly well written. 
I do have one or two books in Italian in Italy, mainly about local history, which I dip into.  I read as relaxation usually so prefer not to have the stress of having to keep checking in the dictionary. I am not at all a believer in reading to get the gist of something as my gist can be way out.
I'm getting on well with The Mill on the Po and will definitely get the third part of the trilogy.

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Post by Gala Placidia Sun May 25, 2014 9:26 pm

It looks as if we tend to do the same, alma, reading slowly. I try not to use the dictionary and insist on getting the meaning through the context. -
Hard work, though....
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Post by JulianaAlice Fri May 30, 2014 8:43 pm

I have just received the English edition of the third and last volume of the trilogy of The Mill on the Po by R Bachelli from Amazon. It appears to be an ex-library book from Oxfordshire County Libraries. The date stamps on the return slip inside the book are from the 1960s. It is hard cover and in good condition. I am still awaiting the first book from Amazon containing the first two volumes.
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Post by la alma Thu Aug 21, 2014 10:01 am

Just finished The Mill on The Po as I had to leave it several times to read other things and it was too heavy to take in hand luggage for a holiday read. At times I struggled to continue but at other times the pages flew by. It was fascinating to read about historical events from the perspective of the ordinary, often poverty stricken peasants. The descriptions of floods on the Po were horrifying - the peasants dealt with these much in the same way as the frequent battles and changes of power - they just struggled to get on with their lives as best they could, enduring appalling hardship all the time.  I will definitely read the last book in the trilogy to see what happens as time progresses. Has anyone read it yet?

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Post by Perlasca Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:46 am

la alma wrote:Just finished The Mill on The Po as I had to leave it several times to read other things and it was too heavy to take in hand luggage for a holiday read. At times I struggled to continue but at other times the pages flew by. It was fascinating to read about historical events from the perspective of the ordinary, often poverty stricken peasants. The descriptions of floods on the Po were horrifying - the peasants dealt with these much in the same way as the frequent battles and changes of power - they just struggled to get on with their lives as best they could, enduring appalling hardship all the time.  I will definitely read the last book in the trilogy to see what happens as time progresses. Has anyone read it yet?

I've started it but so far am finding it less engrossing than the earlier two volumes.  Have left it in Italy for the summer so will try picking it up again when I'm next "in residence"

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