Nocturne and Five Tales of Love and Death

by Gabriele d'Annunzio, Raymond Rosenthal (Translator)

Nocturne and Five Tales of Love and Death is a book of prose by Gabrielle D’Annunzio translated from Italian to English by Raymond Rosenthal.

Genres: Italian Literature, Short Stories

Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Gabriele D'Annunzio, Prince of Montenevoso (12 March 1863 – 1 March 1938), was an Italian poet, playwright, orator, journalist, aristocrat, and army officer during World War I. He occupied a prominent place in Italian literature from 1889 to 1910 and later political life from 1914 to 1924. He was often referred to under the epithets Il Vate ("the Poet") or Il Profeta ("the Prophet").

D'Annunzio combined in his work naturalism, symbolism, and erotic images, becoming the best interpreter of European Decadence in post-Risorgimento Italy.

His love affairs, relationship with the world-famous actress Eleanora Duse, heroic adventures during World War I, and his occupation of Fiume in 1919 made him a legend in his own time.

Reviews

[Bood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both very grotesque and very beautiful prose.

[Ravi Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An author with so much passionate, flair and verve in his writing. The Virgin Orsola, something I read under the title of The Book of the Virgins, is one of the most haunting pieces of writing I have ever read, so much intensity is caught up in this short piece, a masterful writer. The other tales included here all add to the reputation of D'Annunzio, a writer who everyone should be acquainted with but are not, so many of my friends still have not heard of him, and a recent book about his life is keen to portray him as a fascist and nothing else. The shame of it.

Absolutely tour de force writing.