The Adventures of Pinocchio - Le Avventure Di Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

Dec 11, 2012 K.D. Oliveros rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: 501 Must Read Books (Children's)

Shelves: 501, childrens

Pinocchio's Ten Life Enriching Lessons for Grownups:

I normally read children's books during Christmastime. Not only to catch up with my Reading Challenge (I am behind by 10 books as of this writing), but also, most of children's books have life lessons that can be good reminders for the coming year. New Year always means new beginning, new hope. Do you remember when you were still in school and after reading a story in class, the teacher asked you what was the lessons you learned from it? So, in...more

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Dec 01, 2009 Eddie Watkins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a lively book! and also what a strange book, in its nimble flirtations with death and grotesqueries that add many layers of deftly handled complexities to a seemingly simple tale.

Collodi was clearly conflicted about who Pinocchio actually was. The afterword informs us that the book is actually two parts that have now fused into one. What is now the first half of the book was originally a complete tale in itself, and ended with Pinocchio dying after being hung from a tree. But then due to th...more

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Mar 31, 2009 Brad rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children, to-my-kids

I have been slowly reading a stack of children's classics to my twins (thus far to combat the poor movie adaptations that are out there), but I have been less than impressed.

I found Peter Pan (both the character and the story) insufferable; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory offended me ideologically; and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was too heavy handed. So I had little hope for Carlo Collodi's Pinnochio.

Even though I had been slightly disabused of my belief that Pinnochio would be overly...more I have been slowly reading a stack of children's classics to my twins (thus far to combat the poor movie adaptations that are out there), but I have been less than impressed.

I found Peter Pan (both the character and the story) insufferable; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory offended me ideologically; and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was too heavy handed. So I had little hope for Carlo Collodi's Pinnochio.

Even though I had been slightly disabused of my belief that Pinnochio would be overly moralistic by The Old Trouts' brilliant stage adaptation (they're a Canadian puppet theatre company based out of Calgary), and despite the fact that Disney's Classic adaptation maintains most of the creepier elements from Collodi's classic, I approached Pinnochio with serious doubt and attitude.

I almost dared it to be good.

And shock of shocks it actually was. Yes there's a talking cricket, but his name isn't Jiminy and he doesn't sit on Pinnochio's shoulder and act as his conscience. Yes there is a thread of moralism running through the book, and yes some of the things Collodi teaches, such as his focus on one's duty to obey one's parents, run contrary to what I believe, the book actually steers clear of preachiness and simply lets a fun story unfold in a fun way with a couple of decent lessons cropping up here and there.

Playland (known as Pleasure Island in Disney parlance) is almost as creepy as Walt's uber-spooky version, particularly the slimy man who rounds up the kiddies and turns them into donkeys. Monstro is a gigantic, mile long Shark-with-no-name, rather than a massive whale. The blue haired fairy is a huge character, far more important than the talking cricket, and she can change shape into a goat at will. And if these elements weren't enough fun there are times when Pinnochio is collared and tied to a dog house to watch hens, hanged from a tree to die in the forest, nearly used as kindling, has his donkey flesh eaten away by nasty little fish, and is even thrown in prison by a Judge who happens to be a talking Ape.

E. Harden's translation seems superb and is eminently readable (although my friend Manny might no better how accurate a translation it is), and even though the book comes in at a pretty steep 200+ pages (impressive for a kids' book) it never tires its reader or his listeners. My kids wanted more every time we stopped for the night, and if Collodi leaves the kids wanting more that has to be a good thing.

Our next stop is Alice in Wonderland, but I may hunt down some more Collodi. He deserves to be read.
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Jun 08, 2009 Jeanette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, classics, fantasy

Hmmm.....Nineteenth century Italian writer experiments with psychoactive substances and writes a children's book?

In this story you will meet:

A guy named Mini-Man who bites off the ears of his donkeys as a gesture of affection.

A large Snail with a glowing lantern on her head.

A large Serpent with green skin, eyes of fire, and a pointy tail that smokes like a chimney. The Serpent laughs so hard that a vein bursts in his chest and he dies.

An iron door knocker that suddenly turns into a live eel in...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Sammie added it · review of another edition

What is you were just sitting around playing with a piece of wood, and all of a sudden, it started… to talk. You jump back, thinking this is a dream. Well, in The Adventures of Pinocchio, that dream comes true.
It all started one day when a man named Geppetto was building a puppet. When all of a sudden, it started to cry, scream, laugh, and talk. He kept working his puppet, with his occasional blackouts from a piece of wood talking to him, and eventually he finished his puppet, and it became as r...more What is you were just sitting around playing with a piece of wood, and all of a sudden, it started… to talk. You jump back, thinking this is a dream. Well, in The Adventures of Pinocchio, that dream comes true.
It all started one day when a man named Geppetto was building a puppet. When all of a sudden, it started to cry, scream, laugh, and talk. He kept working his puppet, with his occasional blackouts from a piece of wood talking to him, and eventually he finished his puppet, and it became as real as anything can get. Except…one thing. Pinocchio was made out of wood, and he wanted to become a real boy, become a student, and a wonderful son. One day, when he was off to school, he met some troublemakers (a fox and a cat) who claimed they could make him rich. As disobedient and gullible as he was, Pinocchio agreed and they set off on their journey. Eventually, Pinocchio realized that they were up to no good and had abandoned him. But it was too late, Pinocchio had already met the assassins that wanted to steal his money. You can guess who these assassins were. After being hung on a tree by these assassins he was rescued by a ghost of a blue-haired child whom he called the “Blue-Fairy.” The Fairy cared for him and treated him as her own brother. But of course, one day when he left the house alone, he again ran into trouble. He was arrested for hurting a school-mate, (but he was framed), he went to a far-away land called Playland, he turned into a donkey, he came into the circus- where he caught a glimpse of his long-lost fairy, and he was sold to a man who wanted to drown him to make a drum out of his skin. But as he was being drowned, he turned back into a puppet and swam away. He saw his fairy, as a blue haired goat. He swam as fast as he could, but didn’t make it. A mile-long shark swallowed him, where he was reunited with his father- Geppetto. Together they escaped from the shark and went to the Fairy’s house, to find her gone. But he had found the good in him, he tried to donate his money to the fairy, and he was kind, smart, and well-being. Alas, he turned into a real boy.
This book is not just your typical, “A puppet nose grows long because he lies.” It is full of adventures, thrill, action, and some creepy or even scary scenes.
Pinocchio is a disobedient puppet that is so gullible that nasty old people always trick him. He loses everything, goes back to his family, promises to be good, leaves the house, and then starts his whole routine over again. It is like a routine for every day, like wake-up, brush your teeth, get dresses eat breakfast. But on the inside he is a caring loving puppet that tries his hardest at everything, although he can just never say no.
This book takes place in many places; Pinocchio’s hometown, (France), the ocean, the ocean, and the woods. In all of these places, Pinocchio is going through all of his adventures to become a real boy.
This book is a medium-to a hard read. It was written a very long time ago, therefore, has some different words from the text-tile we use today. At some points it is hard to understand, but if you keep reading and think about it, it all comes together. One thing I liked about this book was how the narrator sometimes said you, and i. as if he was stating what he thinks, or what he thinks the reader would think. But, I think instead of using it only three or four times, he could have used this technique throughout the book.
I think this book is a classic because as your reading it, you can tell it is from a long time ago. Whenever your thinking about childhood stories that keep coming up, one is always Pinocchio. It is one of those stories that gives you dreams at night and that you will remember your whole life.
Overall, I would recommend this book to readers who don’t like too scary things, but aren’t afraid to be creeped out. They should like to be in suspense and like to have and action-packed story. And I have one pointer, do not read this at night! It will give you nightmares.
All in all, Pinocchio was a great book.
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Dec 29, 2007 Ryan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-kids-lit

let's get this straight - pinocchio is an asshole. but in that, he's a regular adolescent trying to figure out how the world works and, more importantly, how he can navigate it. kids aren't always angels and ice cream - they're lying, cheating, selfish demons - i sometimes think there's nothing meaner than a 5th grader - but who can blame them? i think that was the appeal to me of reading this book versus watching the disney movie (which is my favorite disney movie, and i will have the argument...more

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Jun 20, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nyrb

As is the case with many great and memorable children's tales, Pinocchio is predominated by the threat of violence and death. At one point the incorrigible puppet is actually lynched by a Fox and a Cat who are after his gold coins. The Talking Cricket (the model for Disney's Jiminy Cricket) is killed by Pinocchio, using a mallet to smash him against the wall, as early as chapter four. The Cricket's primary offense? Giving some lame moralistic advice to the anarchic puppet. (The Talking Cricket w...more As is the case with many great and memorable children's tales, Pinocchio is predominated by the threat of violence and death. At one point the incorrigible puppet is actually lynched by a Fox and a Cat who are after his gold coins. The Talking Cricket (the model for Disney's Jiminy Cricket) is killed by Pinocchio, using a mallet to smash him against the wall, as early as chapter four. The Cricket's primary offense? Giving some lame moralistic advice to the anarchic puppet. (The Talking Cricket was a social conservative, apparently.) Later the magical fairy, a strange deus ex machina with blue hair and an even bluer temperament, is introduced as the ghost of a dead child. I could go on and on, but you get the picture here. If you don't behave, children, and do your schoolwork, you'll probably suffer ghastly and various permutations of misery, including but not limited to being eaten by a giant shark. The tension lies in Collodi's celebration of (in Rebecca West's hyperanalytic parlance) 'transgression' set against the book's explicit moralizing and voluble tsk-tsking and pooh-poohing. Although the anonymous narrator states outright that peril and misfortune are the consequences of bad behavior, Collodi makes Pinocchio's adventures oddly exhilarating. One wonders if the story is less proscriptive than it is a subtle lamentation of the freedoms we must surrender to become 'human.'

Collodi's world is troubling, to say the least. We are conditioned to expect the magical in storytelling—so long as there is an internal consistency. Collodi, however, doesn't bother with logic. Why does Pinocchio seem human and vulnerable in some predicaments but resilient and indomitable in others? Why are the fairy's powers arbitrary and situational? Why does Pinocchio turn into a donkey—other than in the service of a metaphor? I'll admit I'm a stickler for details, but the simplicity and surprising humor of Pinocchio distracts me from the fundamental realization that Collodi has created a world without rules that is overly indebted to coincidence and/or providence. In other words, I liked it—despite everything.(less)

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Nov 21, 2008 Troy Dufrene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Lovers of dark fairy tales, wannabe Italians

Recommended to Troy by: Diesel Books

Time for a confession: I had no clue Pinocchio existed until I wandered into an independent bookstore to hear a reading. I mean, I knew about the Disney Technicolor extravaganza with the top-hatted cricket, the Marilyn Monroe-ish hypersexualized fairy, and the not-quite-as-racist-as-Popeye Geppetto. But I had no idea the story had descended to Walt's half-mad storyboards from a very keen and compelling 19th century Italian writer. But there was this fine New York Review of Books edition on the t...more

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Nov 21, 2008 Stephan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Brian, Kelsey

Recommended to Stephan by: Paul Auster

"Centuries ago there lived- "A king!" my little readers will say immediately. No, children, you are wrong."

That's how Collodi's "The Adventures of Pinocchio" begins and differs from what I could have imagined (or what I imagined only knowing, or rather remembering, Disney's warped version of it). --SPOILERS TO FOLLOW-- "Jiminy Cricket" in Disney's version as the conscience or ghost is actually just called the "the talking cricket" and lives on Geppetto's wall. Pinocchio kills him with a hammer i...more

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Nov 24, 2008 Richard rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a dick! Wavering around like a conker in the breeze, pinocchio dances about and invites at least a harsh look.
But he gets more than that! Hung from the neck til dead! pushed into a coffin paraded by freakish rabbits! Have his legs plucked off! Pasted with flour! Chained up like a dog! eaten by a shark! Turned into a donkey and drowned! Starve to death! Get burnt up - more than once! - all this and more! Horrible!

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Dec 24, 2012 Lucinda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One of the greatest fairytales ever written, possessing such poignant meaning within that it touches the heart – simply beautiful!

*Note: on Amazon I have reviewed the EXSACT edition. Here on GoodReads, I have reviewed a DIFFERENT edition*

This stunning tale is one that brings back memories of childhood and time past, where the consequences of ones actions and the rewards of selflessness are brought to light most effectively. This is the French fairytale that I read first, the book that was hand...more One of the greatest fairytales ever written, possessing such poignant meaning within that it touches the heart – simply beautiful!

*Note: on Amazon I have reviewed the EXSACT edition. Here on GoodReads, I have reviewed a DIFFERENT edition*

This stunning tale is one that brings back memories of childhood and time past, where the consequences of ones actions and the rewards of selflessness are brought to light most effectively. This is the French fairytale that I read first, the book that was handed down to me from my Grandparents and given as a gift to them by a family friend; the illustrator Charles Mozley- who knew my Grandparents intimately. The personal description from (as my mother called him ‘Uncle Charles’) was touching, and the stunning hand drawn illustrations, add that real special element that makes this book so unique.

*unlike the first edition that is listed on Amazon, the copy that I own is the first one made and hand-illustrated by the artist before being put into print*

The tale is about love, friendship, loyalty and honesty and which certainly is memorable as to remain with you throughout childhood and into adulthood with its clear message. Heartwarming, affecting and so powerful this emotive narrative will have you in tears, as you experience such a rollercoaster of events within this compelling read. The love between flesh and blood, father and son is quite remarkable and like most family’s it is something that can never be quite equaled to. Nor is the value of knowing right from wrong and understanding the importance of selflessness, thoughtfulness and how in life one should put others first. At times this book I found scary as a young child (around 5 yrs old when my mother first read it to me at bedtime), especially when the young boys who were corrupted were transformed into Donkey’s! It is a journey of a lifetime, a character-driven tale with some distinctive characters (i.e. Cricket), dramatic and full of intensity that has you glued to the pages – this is something truly astonishing and heartwarming.

Pinocchio is a young boy and whose egotistical mannerisms and lying, has the most severe consequences; such as being turned into wood and his nose growing longer and longer… His father loves his son so much and only wishes that he could become flesh and blood again, but for this to transpire Pinocchio must learn to be a good boy. As he leaves home and embarks on the most extraordinary, horrendous and unexpected of adventures where he almost looses his life this young boy takes note of the depths of his father’s kind heart and the power of love.

This particular edition, 1959, is so special and which is something that shall remain within my family for generations to come. Complete with such stunning illustrations by an artist who was a close friend of my Grandparents (who were also well-known artists themselves), this is something to treasure and which one cannot compare to the printed, contemporary editions of today. The story is something quite unforgettable and outstanding, that which is loved by generations both young and old and which reminds all of us the important things in life. I would recommend this as a first book to read to your children, to your nieces and nephews and for your own personal pleasure…

For when you wish upon a star, dreams really DO come true!
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Jul 24, 2011 Andy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: bad puppets

Recommended to Andy by: Jerry Mahoney

Shelves: kidstuff, kool-imports

"Pinocchio" was originally written as a serial for a newspaper, so the narrative of the novel follows this format: every four chapters Pinocchio finds himself in another big mess he can't get out of unless The Blue Fairy bails him out.
His lack of respect for Gepetto's feelings made me dislike him until I realized I was just as much of a monster when I was little, so it's safe to say there's a little bad puppet in all of us.

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Jan 15, 2013 Suvi rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1850-1899, children, _europe-southern, _book-shelf

To be honest, Pinocchio is the most insufferable, ungrateful, and gullible brat I've seen so far in children's literature. Poor Geppetto has to sit at home, while the boy runs around and gives up to temptations. All the lies build up, and each time Pinocchio's nose grows longer.

Not too convinced on this one. New characters are introduced only to disappear almost immediately. Didn't understand the point of them, maybe Collodi wanted more pages since it was originally serialized? And oh boy, the a...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Mark O'Neill rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, classic, children, literature, fairy, tale, puppet

This is a story that all children should read as it is a story of obeying and honoring your parents. It is a story of acting maturely and responsibly, listening and acting on the advice of others, going to school and learning a trade, instead of wasting your life away irresponsibly. These are all lessons that Carlo Collodi tries to teach his young readers in the form of his puppet character Pinnochio.[return][return]The story starts with Geppetto carving a piece of wood into a puppet and calling...more

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Nov 18, 2010 Isairon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, npl-ragazzi

Come non amare questo libro! La prima volta l’ho visto in tv, cartone animato della Walt Disney. Poi l’immensa interpretazione di Nino Manfredi ne “Le avventure di Pinocchio”. 5 puntate, un’attesa infinita davanti a quella scatola in legno con le antenne. Non volevo perdermi una puntata. Anche per riascoltare la sigla dello sceneggiato. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXRPLr...
Odore di minestra, televisione ancora in bianco e nero, capelli… capelli alla caschetto, tagliati in casa con… ebbene si,...more

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Dec 29, 2008 Nathan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

No review of this strange, unsettling story is written without mentioning the Disney movie within the first sentence (this review included), mostly because the movie has so ingrained itself into the public consciousness that it overshadows the book and demands to be addressed in the same breath. Hopefully this won't be the case forever, because this novel is a masterful, eerie tale that stands alone.

The movie is beautiful and creepy in its own way, but Carlo Collodi's novel is spare, direct and...more

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May 03, 2013 Cleo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, owned-books

This is the original story of Pinnochio, vastly different from the Disney animated cartoon. It really is a moral fable, with all sorts of lessons. It's still really entertaining and well-written, though. The story begins with a piece of wood, "not a fancy piece of wood, just a regular woodpile log, the kind you might put in your stove or fireplace to stoke a fire and heat your room". Master Cherry brings it home and starts to hear it talking to him. He gives it away to the poor puppet-maker Gepp...more This is the original story of Pinnochio, vastly different from the Disney animated cartoon. It really is a moral fable, with all sorts of lessons. It's still really entertaining and well-written, though. The story begins with a piece of wood, "not a fancy piece of wood, just a regular woodpile log, the kind you might put in your stove or fireplace to stoke a fire and heat your room". Master Cherry brings it home and starts to hear it talking to him. He gives it away to the poor puppet-maker Geppetto, who makes a puppet out of it. And thus Pinocchio is born. But what a rascal he is! First of all he gets his father put in jail, and then he eats all of his father's food, of which there isn't much. Then, Geppetto sells his coat in order to get Pinocchio a spelling book. But as we know, not all goes well on Pinocchio's way to school. He encounters the Cat and the Fox, one of the greasiest pair of swindlers in literature. The rest of this rather short book tells of his subsequent misfortunes and adventures. We meet the Fairy with the Sky Blue Hair, as well as several talking animals. I haven't seen the cartoon in ages, but a lot of the same events happen in the original book. But there are also a lot of things in the book that aren't in the animation, and vice versa. For example, there is a cricket in Pinocchio, but he plays a relatively minor role, although he is important to some extent.

Pinocchio is a really awful child. He gets others into all sorts of trouble, and of course, himself. He's really gullible too. When the Cat and the Fox tell him that he can triple his wealth by burying his coins in the ground, he believes them. He never suspects them of anything until after it's too late, not even when he cuts off a bandit's hand and it turns out to be a cat paw. Then he falls in with the wrong crowd at school, who get him into more trouble. He never will learn, which makes for frustrating reading. I wanted to knock some sense into him. Every time after he makes a mistake, Pinocchio promises that he'll never do it again, but he does. Eventually, however, he learns, and becomes a good little boy.

I love the writing in Pinocchio; though it was written in the 19th century, it's not overwritten at all. The writing is quite distinctive, but really easy to get through and really compelling. I read Pinocchio very, very quickly, in probably an hour or two all told. It's a great work of fantasy, a great fairy tale, and a great moral tale. I would highly recommend Pinocchio. It's an amazing story with many amazing elements. I can see how the morality aspect of it might get on some people's nerves, but I loved it.

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Mar 23, 2013 Kacey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is my first time reading the original story of Pinocchio. Until now, my only exposure to the story was the Disney version. The Disney version was true to some elements and expanded on some (giving the Cricket and Dogfish names), but going back to the original showed just how much more there was to the story.

The "lesson" behind the story was painfully obvious. I enjoyed all the strange characters that Pinocchio encountered and all the messes he got into, and most of all I like how he learned...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Ariana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this once as a child and didn't remember it very well, I know the Disney movie well and recently watched the Faerie Tale Theatre version; I wanted to go back to the source and see where it all came from.

My impressions: Having read a lot of Don Quixote (but never finished it), this book reminded me of it in that Pinocchio gets into an awful lot of misadventures while his successes are mostly glossed over (he goes to school for a year in one paragraph).

I didn't realize there were so many fa...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Caitlyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mary brought this back from a work trip to Italy, and we took turns reading it out loud. It turns out the original story, as you might suspect, is very different from the Disney movie. In my opinion, this is for the better! Short chapters and large chunks of dialogue make it an ideal story to have read to you. It might be a little overwhelming for young listeners- there are murderers, people dying, ghosts, etc- but I think that a seven or eight year old would laugh out loud as much as I did. Pin...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Helmut Barro rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wunderschöne zweisprachige Ausgabe für Erwachsene

Das besondere Highlight dieser Ausgabe ist natürlich die Zweisprachigkeit. Dies ist hier so gelöst, dass jede Seite zwei Spalten aufweist; in der ersten steht der italienische Originaltext, in der zweiten die deutsche Übersetzung. Die italienische Originalfassung ist in den meisten Kapiteln etwas kürzer als die deutsche, doch da die einzelnen Kapitel sehr kurz sind (meist nur 2-3 Seiten), verrutscht man nur unwesentlich bei der Gegenüberstellung.

D...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Pamela rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one

Shelves: bizarre, children-s, ew, fantasy, overrated, pointless, readin2013, woefully-depressing

When I was little, my grandma bought me a VHS copy of Disney's Pinocchio. I loved my grandma, and so I dutifully watched the movie. It terrified me--particularly the whole kids-turning-into-donkeys bit. I really, really hated Pinocchio, but I watched it often, especially if grandma asked me about it, because my grandma was Russian and Polish and you do not mess with grandmas like that (she was, really, a sweet and awesome grandma, but even as a little kid I knew better than to contradict her).

I...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Bones Kendall rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-aloud-to-my-kids

Pinocchio -- fabulism is what makes boys real

It was a big sale day at the local used bookshop and I picked up The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. I had never read it and only vaguely knew the Disney movie from having seen it about three decades ago and not since. I got it to read it aloud to my kids at night.

The popularity of the story is genuine. It is a strange story. I cannot remember the movie well enough so I came to the book without any notions except that the puppet was lazy (as...more Pinocchio -- fabulism is what makes boys real

It was a big sale day at the local used bookshop and I picked up The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. I had never read it and only vaguely knew the Disney movie from having seen it about three decades ago and not since. I got it to read it aloud to my kids at night.

The popularity of the story is genuine. It is a strange story. I cannot remember the movie well enough so I came to the book without any notions except that the puppet was lazy (as many boys tend to be), had a nose that grew when he lied, and that in the end he became a real boy.

I can say that it is not at all a great book, but it is interesting and worthy.

Kids love the absurdity of it. We must practice suspending disbelief as we become increasingly aware that reality is all that there is to believe in. This practice is what we get when we consume stories, both real and fiction. In this case, the fiction is so crazy that it is at times a bit tiresome.

Nonetheless, enchanting is a better word for most of it. And my kids agree. They wanted to be done with it, but they also remained for the most part rapt with the story.

My older boy had had the story read to him by his teacher. I thought maybe it had been a shortened version--certainly it was a different translation (e.g. Candlewick vs. Lampwick). Since he knew the story, he would state the next major meeting the moment before it happened. He did this for the evil Fox and Cat and also for the Snail and the Dogfish and...

Well, the point is that my son knew the story quite well, so there is evidence that it is memorable, and for that reason it should be read...even if it's not really all that great a story.

I found the other Goodreads reviews interesting in terms of the relationship of the story to the movie. I have a friend who loves the movie and hates the book. I think I will now have to watch the movie. Serendipitously, my friend just happened to give us a copy on DVD.

Final comment: The dogfish part is just really too much. It is completely absurd, but without the nod and wink that there is absurdity going on. I think that this is its real strength, and this is why the story is still hugely popular and important for children.

Fabulism is the general term for fiction and we, today, and since Collodi's time, suffer from entirely too much realism. This story reminds that fantasy is part of life.(less)

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Dec 12, 2012 D.M. Dutcher rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, children-s

You know the stories your dad would tell about what would happen to you if you didn't behave? Imagine your dad on drugs, and that's this book.

A talking log is found one day by a woodcutter. It kicks his ass until he decides to give it to his friend, Geppetto. No seriously, it beats him up. It even taunts Geppetto and gets the two men to beat on each other. Geppetto takes it home, and makes a marionette out of him. This is Pinocchio, and he soon starts to make Geppetto wish he had practiced safe...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Chuck LoPresti rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a classic tale that according to the afterword is only outsold by the Bible. I'm not going to say that the bible has done less good - but it certainly has done more harm and if we are to measure books by the results in terms of actions taken by people subsequent to their reading - then Pinocchio is the better book. I absolutely adore Cervantes and the Marx brothers and this book it right between those two pillars of human understanding. Only the most intelligent comedians like the Marx B...more This is a classic tale that according to the afterword is only outsold by the Bible. I'm not going to say that the bible has done less good - but it certainly has done more harm and if we are to measure books by the results in terms of actions taken by people subsequent to their reading - then Pinocchio is the better book. I absolutely adore Cervantes and the Marx brothers and this book it right between those two pillars of human understanding. Only the most intelligent comedians like the Marx Brothers really make us laugh the longest and only the wisest of men can engage their readers as deeply and consistently as Cervantes does. Collodi is darn close in terms of wisdom and humor. He writes with a very modern and conversational style that is so darn easy to read without a wasted word.

We all know the message of Pinocchio: real men are made by learning lessons for themselves. These lessons are made easier by aligning yourself with good teachers and role models. There's no shortage of distractions and pitfalls along the picaresque way. Spend all your time loving your positive qualities or lamenting your shortcomings and you'll waste your life. There's been enough Collodi/Disney criticism out there that I'm sure I can add anything to the discussion other than to reiterate - this is not Disney's story. As you can guess the book isn't pointed only at children but rather seems to be written for the parent to read to the child. There's a profound tenderness that only appears once we've sloughed off enough of our protective exteriors to enable greater sensitivity. A masterful storyteller - Collodi has given the world a great piece of literature that is exponentially more important than just words and warnings. He, very much like Disney, wants to reach the hearts of the audience as profoundly as possible and in that way - the movie is also great if not accurate rendering of tale that will be told for more years than I can imagine. I will start reading this aloud to my kids tonight. When they grow up they can read about locusts, loaves and Longinus on their dime. Most of my salt stains look more like pointed hats and noses than virgin mothers anyway.

A point to ponder later: the buried coins-into-money-tree scam that Krasznahorkai uses so well in Satantango originates here. What ultimately leads Estike to her death is her love for her father - she's trying to rejoin him and has no regard for life outside of this relationship. No hope, no goals, no fruit outside of that relationship. Desmond Decker said it well - honor your mother and father that your days may be long on the land. Also the fifth commandment FWIW. (less)

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Jun 05, 2012 Simone rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was the first book I ever read. Many people here mention a comparison with the Disney movie; on the other hand I, as an Italian kid, have always been very familiar with the book, and actually know it much better than the movie, which I must have seen only once and quickly forgot.
When I read this I had just learned to read, and was looking for something harder to tackle than your usual short sentences found on a schoolbook. I might have been four or five at the time. What I mean is, I have s...more This was the first book I ever read. Many people here mention a comparison with the Disney movie; on the other hand I, as an Italian kid, have always been very familiar with the book, and actually know it much better than the movie, which I must have seen only once and quickly forgot.
When I read this I had just learned to read, and was looking for something harder to tackle than your usual short sentences found on a schoolbook. I might have been four or five at the time. What I mean is, I have such a strong bond with this book, it's hard for me to be 'objective' about it. It's a fond memory and something I'm very attached to. I will base my review upon recent rereads, of course; but "Pinocchio" is at all effects one of the first things that ever shaped my critical sense itself, right after my mom and dad's first teachings, and I can't simply put that aside.
Pinocchio is a great tale of growth; a 'bildungsroman', if you want. It starts with a poor man who creates a marionette to keep company to him. How sad is that? Misery and loneliness are recurrent topics in the novel. This is a story born in a time when in Italy people would still mostly wear themselves off on the fields, spitting blood to get a few crops out of them. It's a tale from when Italy was just recently united in a single country, and children, who until then had been just used as workforce, like everyone else, started to have a obligation to go to school; modern life, culture, a different way of living were just surfacing upon these lands that sometimes lived still on the verge of the Middle Age.
Anyway, something magic happens. The wooden log from which Geppetto carves the marionette was magic (or cursed? Or possessed? There is something devilish about Pinocchio's exhuberant vitality after all...), and when the marionette itself is finished, and named after a 'rich' family Geppetto knows ("the richest one amongst them was a beggar"), it just comes to life. Geppetto is overjoyed; he who has no wife and no family, now can take care of a child. He is not a traditional cold, responsible adult figure; he's instead a frail and soft person, who is in such dire need of love he won't even question a wooden puppet coming to life, if it means he's getting to have a son. On the other side, Pinocchio is a soul, a conscience who just came to the world without any knowledge of its workings. His driving force is not malice; it's curiosity. He really has a good heart, and despite some of the other characters blaming him for being a 'bad boy', the author always lets us into his thoughts as well, lets us realize that when he commits a mistake he does so out of naivety, or rashness, never actual evil intents. He loves his father, genuinely, but is simply too burning with interest with everything else to stay closed at home, or in a school class. As he wanders the world, though, he learns harsh lessons about it. Many consider this tale as one which has as a purpose to teach the children obedience; I don't think that's the actual point; I think it teaches necessity. Pinocchio's actions are often not as much bad as imprudent, or straight out stupid. He is fooled by random strangers, gets himself robbed, loses money in a silly scam and gets jailed by an ape who's also a judge and seems to consider honesty a crime. It's unfair. It's unjust. Most of the times, Pinocchio is just the weak one lost in a world of sharks; he gets abused in every possible way by everyone who knows better than him. What he lacks is not obedience, but judgement. The world he lives in is no fairy tale. It's a harsh world full of hunger and poverty and authority figures who just don't care, or will take advantage of him. Until he does not learn how things are, how he needs to become responsible not because that's the right thing to do, but simply because he needs to in order to stay alive, his misadventures will go on, leading him from one hell to an even worse one; until Pleasure Island comes, almost a literal hell, a place of suffering where he's drawn by the false promise of free and easy entertainment received from a shady looking man; one who looks of wealth and taste, if you get the quote.
In the end, everything is well, as Pinocchio finally achieves humanity and is reunited with Geppetto; and as the Fairy states, this is not the merit of him becoming an always obedient puppet, but a grown up man who can accept responsibility and is aware that nothing comes without a good amount of effort put into it. Thus ends a beautiful tale, maybe the first real 'urban fantasy' (or rather, 'rural fantasy') known to world's literature, and a wonderful formation novel. An absolute classic.(less)

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May 13, 2012 Shanna Gonzalez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-04-08

Pinocchio is a classic story, and a very different one than the saccharine Disney version most Americans are familiar with. Carlo Collodi’s 1882 book lays out the story of a wooden puppet come to awkward life, who proceeds to act out on every selfish, crude and obnoxious impulse ever known to childhood. Each bad decision brings sorrow to his “father” Gepetto and his “mother” the Blue Fairy, and brings a terrifying consequence to the puppet — in the course of the book his feet are burned off, he...more Pinocchio is a classic story, and a very different one than the saccharine Disney version most Americans are familiar with. Carlo Collodi’s 1882 book lays out the story of a wooden puppet come to awkward life, who proceeds to act out on every selfish, crude and obnoxious impulse ever known to childhood. Each bad decision brings sorrow to his “father” Gepetto and his “mother” the Blue Fairy, and brings a terrifying consequence to the puppet — in the course of the book his feet are burned off, he nearly starves, he is attacked by robbers, he is sent to prison, he’s nearly fried as a fish, and he’s transformed into a donkey to be sold for money.

With each consequence, his penitence for foolish behavior is more real. At the beginning of the book he’s the kind of child who sells his schoolbook, purchased by his father’s sacrifice of his winter coat, to go to a marionette show. By the end of the story, Pinocchio is the kind of boy who leaps into the sea, risking his life to save his father from a monstrous fish. This gradual transformation culminates in Pinocchio dreaming one night that the Blue Fairy comes to him saying,

In return for your good heart, I forgive you all your past misdeeds. Children who love their parents, and help them when they are sick and poor, are worthy of praise and love, even if they are not models of obedience and good behavior. Be good in future, and you will be happy.

He wakes in the morning to find that he has become a real boy, with the old wooden puppet limp in the corner.

This wasn’t originally a children’s story, but it is a story about childhood and the taming of childish, reckless impulses. It’s a deeply moral tale, often reiterating the importance of working hard, being responsible, and telling the truth. It may open up a discussion about what it means to be a slave to sinful impulses (Romans 6:16-18; Romans 7:21-24), and it confirms the Biblical teaching that “folly is bound up in the heart of a child” (Proverbs 22:15).

It isn’t, however, a Christian story, and it lacks the Christian quality of grace which transforms undeserving sinners. The moralism is sometimes quite heavy-handed, and penalties for disobedience are often gruesome. Pinocchio’s redemption ultimately comes, not from a power outside himself, but from his own resolve to change when he sees the consequences of his behavior for himself and others. Because of this moral self-reliance, this story may not be a good match for children who are prone to self-righteousness.

If you do decide to go with Pinocchio, please avoid the many uninteresting illustrated versions available, and check out Roberto Innocenti’s rendition. His surreal, dramatic, and often funny pictures perfectly complement Collodi’s vivid style.(less)

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Apr 14, 2012 Lis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

I expected a darker story than Disney presented and in some ways it was, but this is still clearly a book aimed at children. Pinocchio gets into a series of misadventures caused by his misbehavior. He never truly has bad intentions. He's just lazy and wants to do what he wants to do. He's also gullible and falls for the "get rich quick without work" type of schemes. He doesn't listen to advice he doesn't like. He turns his nose up at things offered to him because he wants better. But he is alway...more I expected a darker story than Disney presented and in some ways it was, but this is still clearly a book aimed at children. Pinocchio gets into a series of misadventures caused by his misbehavior. He never truly has bad intentions. He's just lazy and wants to do what he wants to do. He's also gullible and falls for the "get rich quick without work" type of schemes. He doesn't listen to advice he doesn't like. He turns his nose up at things offered to him because he wants better. But he is always repentant in the end and he dearly loves his family, and is repeatedly forgiven.

This book ultimately is trying to teach children that hard work is necessary and noble, and any short cut, work around, or avoidance will be heavily penalized by life. It also promises that hard work will be greatly rewarded.

I understand children's books often try to teach a moral, but it does trouble me that the book's absolute aim is to indoctrinate children. Yes, beggars can't be choosers, and yes, if you don't work then you can't act like you "deserve" to eat. And yes, you should care for others, and do good deeds. And obviously I am all for schools and books. However, let's not completely discount the positive qualities of leisure and label all desire for it as evil. Let's not act like the one day you cut school defines you more than the other school days when you did go. It is not always true that small mistakes lead to great tragedies, or that lifelong hard work will be lavishly rewarded. It is an attempt to use fear and promises to get the action you want out of a child. And it uses guilt--"those who love you are suffering because of how bad you are."

And what should be your ultimate goal? To be just like everyone else.

Really? He was created a puppet and as a puppet, he can run and swim, and yes even kick, way better than other boys. He tries to be good because he wants to make those that love him proud and happy, but that ultimate reward he holds out for: to be a boy. To give up what makes him unique. As if a successful life means you'll do as you're told and not stand out by being any different.

I can't help but feel like I want to smack Pinocchio in the back of the head and say, "Stop being such a dumbass, Pinocchio. But really, you're alright just the way you are."(less)

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Feb 29, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: x-1880s

I am having a blast reading classic children's fantasy and faerie tales that were Disney-fied, or otherwise modernized to better suit twentieth century propriety. Pinocchio the book is quite a bit different than Pinocchio the movie. I feel like the book has a better message to send. Whereas the Disney Pinocchio was rather naive and a victim of circumstance, the book Pinocchio starts off as a rather unsavory character. He acts, in other words, like a very naughty boy with ADHD. Throughout the cou...more I am having a blast reading classic children's fantasy and faerie tales that were Disney-fied, or otherwise modernized to better suit twentieth century propriety. Pinocchio the book is quite a bit different than Pinocchio the movie. I feel like the book has a better message to send. Whereas the Disney Pinocchio was rather naive and a victim of circumstance, the book Pinocchio starts off as a rather unsavory character. He acts, in other words, like a very naughty boy with ADHD. Throughout the course of the book, he learns a series of lessons that ultimately teach him morality. The cool thing about this is that he doesn't learn these lessons all at once, the way we sometimes see characters redeem themselves in films: morality, in Carlo Collodi's world, is a scaffolding process. Sometimes, while going up, you slide back down, like a game of moral chutes and ladders.

Pinocchio starts out as a piece of wood that can talk. The carpenter who owns this wood is shocked and frightened - he sells the wood to a marionette-maker named Geppetto, who makes it into a very lifelike puppet: Pinocchio. Pinocchio runs away from Geppetto and races around the countryside causing mischief, and causing eternal heartbreak to those foolish enough to care about him.

This Pinocchio is prone to emotional bouts - to the point of being manipulative, almost - but he also has a cruel streak. For example, on one of his escapades, he meets a talking cricket (who I suspect Jimminy was modeled after in the film). The cricket tells him that he is very naughty and gives him some advice that he does not want to hear. Angered, Pinocchio throws a stone at the cricket and kills him. That's right. Kills him.

The blue fairy is in here, too, but she's called "the azure fairy," and is sterner than the well-meaning but rather vapid woman in the Disney movie. Some of her lessons to Pinocchio are quite cruel: when he abandons her as a young girl, she fakes her own death to make Pinocchio think that his poor treatment of her made her die of a broken heart. The azure fairy can - and does - turn into a goat for some reason. I'm not sure why, but it cracked me up because it was so random.

Also, instead of Pleasure Island (from the film), boys who don't like school go to the Land of Toys - which is extremely similar, and no less sinister. The man who drives the carriage, for example, bites the ears off the donkey that tries to warn Pinocchio away from this horrible journey. And Pinocchio actually does become a donkey, and gets sold to a circus man who makes him do tricks until his legs give out. Then the lame Pinoccio donkey is sold to a man who wants to use his hide to make a drum! Eek! Scarrrrry.

Pinocchio isn't *too* dark, though. After all, it *is* a children's tale, and is no more sinister than the Brothers Grimm. All of the violence is abstract and very fantastical. So if you're having reservations about reading this (or reading it *to* someone) - never fear. On a side note: I love how this book weaves morality into the storyline without being too obvious. What little violence and scariness there was, was usually to prove a point. Some of the loveliest passages were when one character or another was stressing the importance of kindness, sharing, compassion, philanthropy, personal enterprise, and karma.

This line in particular was one of my favorites:

"I have only wanted to remind you of the trick you long ago played upon me, to teach you that in this world of ours we must be kind and courteous to others, if we want to find kindness and courtesy in our own days of trouble."

Isn't that sweet? I think I actually like this version better than the Disney one. As an added bonus, it even has a happy ending!(less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Robert rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s, fantasy

Having watched the Disney version (which I'd found scary when I was a kid) and the human / CGI version (which I found incredibly unsettling), and with an interest in fairy tales etc., I decided to read this book.

Oh wow. I struggle to think of anything positive to say about it.

This is obviously not an original folk tale, but written in that wave of artificial fairy tales (like Beauty and the Beast, and perhaps Till Eulenspiegel and Die Schildbuerger) that were very fashionable for a while.

Pinnocc...more

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/180621.The_Adventures_of_Pinocchio_Le_Avventure_Di_Pinocchio?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348598235l/180621.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/180621.The_Adventures_of_Pinocchio_Le_Avventure_Di_Pinocchio?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Adventures of Pinocchio - Le Avventure Di Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi[/url]

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