Grandfather
Peruzzi once helped the socialist Edmondo Rossoni during a fight, and they
event went to prison for it together. Something like that creates a bond and a friendship
was formed. Rossoni often came to visit and brought with him a socialist
schoolteacher, with the name Benito Mussolini.
The Peruzzi’s
were not that interested in politics, but because of their connections with
Rossoni and Mussolini they also become socialists. After all, socialism fights
for the peasants and the workers, so the idea is not that crazy.
The
Peruzzi-sons fight during the first world war and experience first-hand that
there is not a lot of appreciating for the soldiers and what they did when the
war is over. When Mussolini starts his fascist-movement, the Peruzzi’s join.
After all, Mussolini fights for the peasants and the workers and at least he
appreciates the soldiers and what they did.
The Peruzzi
boys are involved in everything, they were there with the March on Rome and they
fight against the socialists.
When the
family lose their farm due to the agricultural reforms, there is an opportunity
for them. As former soldiers and good fascists they can have a new farm in the
Agro Pontino. These marches south of Rome had just been drained under Mussolini’s
order and the land was distributed under the farmers from the north, the
pioneers. The family gets lot 517, next to the Mussolinicanal.
It is a hard life, everything has yet to be build and there are still many malaria-mosquitos. Still they all have hope they will have a better future here.
But in the meantime Italy invades Ethiopia and shortly after that WWII breaks out, and the Peruzzi’s play their part in these events as well, and that has consequences.
The Peruzzi
family is full of eccentric and hot-headed characters and it is the clear the
storyteller in this book is also a Peruzzi. He tells the story in his own way, and
often chides the reader if perhaps he could raise some objections to a claim about
one of the histories that are told. He tells the story the way he heard it and
he tells it like he wants to tell it, basta.
Digressions,
anecdotes and family-drama form the heart of this story, but also tell the
story of Italy during the first half of the 20th century.
I read Antonio Pennacchi’s first novel Il fasciocommunista in English
translation as My brother is an only
child. The film Mio fratello รจ figlio
unico is based on this book.
His own
family were pioneers in the Agro Pontino and without a doubt he put some of
their experiences in this story.
The Mussolini canal won the Premio Strego in 2010, the highest
literary prize in Italy. That is no wonder, since this book is overwhelming,
colorful and vivacious and it is impossible to put down.
For
everyone who enjoys family histories, Italian history and great literature.
Original
Italian title: Canale Mussolini
Published in 2010
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