Behind the Door
Behind the Door by Giorgio Bassani, published by National Geographic Books on November 28, 2017, is a poignant exploration of childhood and identity set against the backdrop of 1930s Italy. This edition, available in English and spanning 112 pages, delves into the life of a young Jewish boy in Ferrara, where the complexities of school life mirror the broader societal tensions of the time. The narrative captures the essence of friendship and the painful realities of exclusion, reflecting the struggles faced by the narrator as he navigates his formative years.
Readers will find a rich portrayal of the unspoken hierarchies and rivalries that characterize school life, intertwined with the historical context of rising anti-Semitism. As the story unfolds, it reveals the impact of these societal issues on personal relationships and the loss of innocence. This work is part of Bassani’s Romanzo di Ferrara cycle, offering insights into the interplay between personal and collective experiences during a tumultuous period. The new translation by Jamie McKendrick aims to preserve the emotional depth and resonance of Bassani’s original prose.
Official synopsis Publisher
‘It was useless to think I’d ever be able to throw open the door behind which I was yet again hiding … Not now. Not ever.’
School is a place of unspoken hierarchies and rivalries for a young teenage boy growing up in the provincial town of Ferrara. But as the everyday classroom and playground dramas are played out, they begin to reflect the disturbing undertones of 1930s Italy, and the narrator realizes that being Jewish means he will always be excluded. The fourth book in Bassani’s Romanzo di Ferrara cycle, Behind the Door is a luminous portrayal of childhood friendship and the loss of innocence.
A new translation by Jamie McKendrick
‘Giorgio Bassani is one of the great witnesses of this century, and one of its great artists’ Guardian
‘Powerful new translations . . . Bassani began as a poet, and McKendrick’s redelivery of this taut uncompromising fiction reveals resonance and generosity’ Ali Smith
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