Publication
NYRB Classics (2001), Edition: Revised ed., 320 pages
Original publication date
1898
1927, 2. edizione; 1938 edizione dall'Oglio
Collections
Genres
Description
Not so long ago Emilio Brentani was a promising young author. Now he is an insurance agent on the fast track to forty. He gains a new lease of life when he falls for the gorgeous Angiolina - except that this angel happens to be an unapologetic cheat. But what begins as a comedy of infatuation and misunderstanding ends in tragedy as Emilio's jealousy and persistence in his folly leads to the loss of the one person whom, too late, he realises he really loves. Marked by deep humanity and earthy humour, by psychological insight and elegant simplicity of style, As a Man Grows Older is a brilliant study of hopeless love and hapless indecision.
User reviews
LibraryThing member donato
You know how people talk about books that "changed my life"? Well, I don't think books can change your life (at least not in my case), but I think they can help you change your life (in other words, you change your life, not the book -- ok, pedantic point, but still, wanted to be clear on
Well, this book, along with Buzzati's "Il deserto dei Tartari" helped me change my life (actually, I have 2 non-fiction examples that did the same, albeit in different ways: Lewis Hyde's "The Gift", and Norman O Brown's "Life Against Death").
How did this book help change my life? By showing me, in stark color, myself. It didn't show me something I didn't already know. What it did was help me to see what I already knew rationally in another, more emotional way. It showed me the tortured mechanisms of my mind for what they are: bullshit wankitude. It showed me what happens when you don't see things for what they are (Buzzati's book did the same): you don't live.
A note on the style: I enjoyed the Antonioni-esque usage of landscape and weather as a backdrop to the psychological drama.
Interesting trivia point: on its initial publication in 1898 this book had no success, and was not mentioned (either favorably or unfavorably) by any critic. 25 years later, James Joyce convinced Svevo to release a 2nd edition. Thanks James!
Show More
that....)Well, this book, along with Buzzati's "Il deserto dei Tartari" helped me change my life (actually, I have 2 non-fiction examples that did the same, albeit in different ways: Lewis Hyde's "The Gift", and Norman O Brown's "Life Against Death").
How did this book help change my life? By showing me, in stark color, myself. It didn't show me something I didn't already know. What it did was help me to see what I already knew rationally in another, more emotional way. It showed me the tortured mechanisms of my mind for what they are: bullshit wankitude. It showed me what happens when you don't see things for what they are (Buzzati's book did the same): you don't live.
A note on the style: I enjoyed the Antonioni-esque usage of landscape and weather as a backdrop to the psychological drama.
Interesting trivia point: on its initial publication in 1898 this book had no success, and was not mentioned (either favorably or unfavorably) by any critic. 25 years later, James Joyce convinced Svevo to release a 2nd edition. Thanks James!
Show Less
LibraryThing member deebee1
Lovers of literature have James Joyce to thank for for the launching of Svevo's literary career (at the rather late age of 64 yrs) and giving us this delicately crafted novel, and the more popular The Confessions of Zeno. (Joyce was in earlier years, hired by Svevo as English tutor.)
Set in Trieste
The novel explores some dark themes namely self-doubt, jealousy, self-torment, disillusionment, betrayal and failure. The feeling of tension and fleetingness underlie the entire story. Angiolina is a chronic liar and a cheap tart, but Emilio cannot help himself -- one minute, he is madly in love with her, and the next, he is willing to let her go. But like the perennial loser that he is, he would rather fill his anguished mind with delusions of being a heroic and self-sacrificing lover. He seems to want to experiment with his feelings, without possessing the strength necessary to bear the results. In short, to exaggerate the simple into tragic proportions.
I hated this character who vacillated too much, and Angiolina as well, who despite her shallow mind and morals, was a genius in exploiting this weakness in Emilio's character. These rapid shifts and instability in mood, however, are what critics consider to be the modern elements of this novel. Over all, I admired the depth and the venture into what was then considered modern voice, but it got me brooding over some imponderables for a while after.
Set in Trieste
Show More
(now Italy, but then still part of the Austro-Hungarian empire) this psychological novel, written in 1898 and considered a pre-eminent work of modern European fiction, is the account of Emilio, a failed writer, and his intense relationship with Angiolina, a much younger, beautiful but promiscuous woman. The novel explores some dark themes namely self-doubt, jealousy, self-torment, disillusionment, betrayal and failure. The feeling of tension and fleetingness underlie the entire story. Angiolina is a chronic liar and a cheap tart, but Emilio cannot help himself -- one minute, he is madly in love with her, and the next, he is willing to let her go. But like the perennial loser that he is, he would rather fill his anguished mind with delusions of being a heroic and self-sacrificing lover. He seems to want to experiment with his feelings, without possessing the strength necessary to bear the results. In short, to exaggerate the simple into tragic proportions.
I hated this character who vacillated too much, and Angiolina as well, who despite her shallow mind and morals, was a genius in exploiting this weakness in Emilio's character. These rapid shifts and instability in mood, however, are what critics consider to be the modern elements of this novel. Over all, I admired the depth and the venture into what was then considered modern voice, but it got me brooding over some imponderables for a while after.
Show Less
LibraryThing member hippietrail
To me the translation doesn't feel quite right considering it's set (and was written) in the Europe or a century ago. Mostly the style fits this setting but sometimes the idiom is too modern and/or colloquial. For instance the use of "really" as an intensifier where "rather", "quite", or "very"
Also the book is not well edited. Two obvious errors I noticed were "trying to making" and "an dispassionate".
Show More
might seem more natural. Reading some of the reviews on Amazon.com I am not alone in this. The opinion seems greatly divided between the older translation and the newer. However, William Weaver, a translator I hold in the highest esteem apparently gives this translation a glowing review!Also the book is not well edited. Two obvious errors I noticed were "trying to making" and "an dispassionate".
Show Less
LibraryThing member JESGalway
"Senilità" is the second novel by Italo Svevo, published in 1898. The protagonist of the novel is Emilio Brentani, an inept man, divided between the craving for love and pleasure and regret for not having enjoyed them
LibraryThing member Kristelh
Reason Read: 1001 botm December 22. This book is by Jewish Italian author Svevo and is about a man in Italy who becomes infatuated with a beautiful woman who is also a cheat. Against the advice of friends and family he jealousy clings to this woman who is playing with him.
I did not especially
Quotes:
"She went on to say that she knew now that one could not fight with death. 'The dead are dead and comfort can only come from the living'."
"It is the living who have need of us."
"It almost seems as if one half of humanity exists to live and the other to be lived."
I did not especially
Show More
enjoy this story. I did not like the main character. It is a character study rather than a plot driven novel. The setting is Italy, The main character is not a young man but entering his middle age and regretting having not had a love in his life. Quotes:
"She went on to say that she knew now that one could not fight with death. 'The dead are dead and comfort can only come from the living'."
"It is the living who have need of us."
"It almost seems as if one half of humanity exists to live and the other to be lived."
Show Less
Language
Original language
Italian
ISBN
9780940322844
Physical description
320 p.; 5 inches
Pages
320