Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Short Story Wednesday: Stories by Andrea Camilleri


As I mentioned in my last post, I have been reading short stories from Montalbano's First Case and Other Stories by Andrea Camilleri. The first story is Montalbano's First Case, actually a novella. There are twenty other short stories in the book. The book has an excellent Preface by Camilleri, where he discusses his writing and some of the short stories in this book. 


So far I have read 

  • "Fifty Pairs of Hobnailed Boots"
  • "Fellow Traveler"
  • "Dress Rehearsal"
  • "Amore"
  • "The Artist's Touch"

All of the short stories I read were good reads, and there was variety from story to story, but the last story I read, "The Artist's Touch," is my favorite so far.

It is a story of a meticulously planned suicide. Alberto Larussa, well known for artistic jewelry pieces that he created, had been confined to a wheelchair for the last three decades. He electrocuted himself while strapped into his wheelchair. Larussa was a friend of Montalbano's but Montalbano is not involved in the investigation to prove if it is suicide or not. He begins to believe that the suicide was staged but must make his inquiries outside of normal police channels. 



All of the stories in the book are translated from Italian by Stephen Sartarelli.


6 comments:

Todd Mason said...

I've, as I've mentioned, enjoyed the dramatizations, but still need to give the translations a try. This seems a good way to start!

TracyK said...

Todd, "The Artist's Touch" was one of the dramatizations, with changes of course (based on the description I read). I have not seen the adaptations, but I did check and I think Montalbano and Young Montalbano is available through Prime if I add MHz. So I will try them sometime.

Margot Kinberg said...

I really want to read this, Tracy! I very much like the Montalbano novels (and Sartarelli's translations), and these stories do sound very good. I think I may have to put this one on my list...

TracyK said...

It is a good one, Margot. You will like it when you read it. I already have the next Camilleri novel (The Snack Thief) set aside to read as soon as I can.

Rick Robinson said...

Happy Thanksgiving!

You know we agree on this author, and I’ve read this book and am near finishing DEATH AT SEA, the other short story collection. Now, I’m reading DEATH STALKS DOOR COUNTY by Patricia Skalka, which Kevin Tipple reviewed on Lesa’s blog recently. I’ll probably finish it today, then back to short stories before I start a next, so far unselected, novel.

TracyK said...

Rick, I had missed that review for DEATH STALKS DOOR COUNTY, but I went and checked it out and the book does sound good. I think I will be starting my next Montalbano book (the third in the series) tonight.

I am looking forward to December, when I plan to read some short stories by Georges Simenon from the MAIGRET'S CHRISTMAS anthology.