After Hannibal
After Hannibal by Barry Unsworth, published by Hamish Hamilton in 1996, is a contemporary work that explores the complexities of human relationships against the backdrop of Golden Umbria’s stunning scenery and rich history. The narrative unfolds in a region marked by its past, where the echoes of Hannibal’s ambush of a Roman legion still resonate in the local place-names. The story introduces a diverse cast of characters, including a retired American couple, a British property speculator, and a German grappling with his family’s dark history, all intertwined in a web of deceit and ambition.
Readers will find a vivid portrayal of modern life in Umbria, where the pursuit of tranquility is often disrupted by greed and betrayal. The interactions among the characters reveal the tensions that arise from their differing backgrounds and motivations, as they navigate personal conflicts and moral dilemmas. With themes of exploitation and the consequences of trust, Unsworth’s narrative delves into the darker aspects of human nature while reflecting on the region’s historical significance. This edition, comprising 256 pages, invites readers to engage with the intricate dynamics of its characters and the landscape that shapes their experiences.
Official synopsis Publisher
Golden Umbria is home to breathtaking scenery and great art; it is also where Hannibal and his invading band of Carthaginians ambushed and slaughtered a Roman legion, and where the local place-names still speak of that bloodshed.Unsworth’s contemporary invaders include the Greens, a retired American couple seeking serenity among the Umbrian hills, who are bilked out of their savings by the corrupt English “building expert” Stan Blemish; the Chapmans, a British property speculator and his wife, whose dispute with their neighbors over a wall escalates into a feud of nearly medieval proportions; Anders Ritter, a German haunted by the part his father played in a mass killing of Italian hostages in Rome during the Second World War; and Fabio and Arturo, a gay couple who, searching for peace and self-sufficiency, find treachery instead. And at the center of all these webs of deceit and greed is the cunning lawyer Mancini, happy to aid the disputants–and to exploit to the fullest the faith that these “innocents abroad” have placed in him.
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