Camilleri is best known for his Commisario Montalbano series, but relatively recently, inspired, he says, by the publication of the Report on the Social and Economic Conditions of Sicily (1875-1876), he has written two novels, Hunting Season and The Brewer of Preston, both set in this time period. In addition, The Brewer of Preston is based on a real incident that took place around this time in Caltanissetta, a town not far away from Agrigento and Porto d'Empedocle, the sites of Camilleri's fictional towns of Montelusa and Vigata, respectively. The book is extremely funny. Camilleri has a marvelous comic sense and a very keen sense of character both of which he uses to great effect while writing a novel that is, in reality, quite a commentary on the social and political conditions of late 19th century Sicily. For those not familiar with Italian history, Sicily had joined the newly-formed Monarchy of Italy in 1866, just 11 years before the events of the novel, and there were plenty of people dissatisfied with the replacement of one monarchy (that of the Bourbons) with another, the House of Savoy based in the Piedmont of Northern Italy. One of the main characters in the novel is Traquandi, a Roman who is a Mazzini or follower of Mazzini, one of the founders of Italy's Risorgimento or revolution for independence. Mazzini strongly promoted a republic rather than a monarchy, and he still had plenty of followers at this time. In a lovely literary twist, Camilleri starts the first sentence of his chapters with either a quote or nice play on the first sentence of various novels. I recognized only one, from Italo Calvino's If On A winter's Night a Traveler but the notes explain the references well. Also, I simply cannot believe that Traquandi is NOT a reference to Tancredi, a character in Di Lampedusa's The Leopard, one of the finest novels ever written about Sicily, and which takes place mostly in this time period.I've lived in Sicily now for over a year, and that has been enough time to give me a sense of just how well Camilleri has captured the sense of Sicily. The characters are true to their time, but they are also true to being Sicilian; their descendants are alive and well today.The book owes its charm, wit, and integrity to the superb translation by Steven Sartarelli, Camilleri's long-time English translator. Camilleri, at least in the Montalbano series, needs a deft hand. I've not read the original Italian for this book, but in the Montalbano series, Camilleri uses a fusion of Italian and Sicilian to help distinguish his characters as Sicilian, and Sartarelli does a masterful job of conveying that distinction. Whatever the circumstances, Sartarelli has without doubt done his usual outstanding job, making the book a fun and isnructie read for English-speaking readers.Highly recommended
Vigàta is adjusting to Unification - a process that has not been greeted with universal acclaim. The ancien régime has its collective nose out of joint, as it contends, not only with the new ruling class, but a ruling class with northern accents. There is also dissent within the ranks of the new rulers, as republicans and royalists plot against each other. It is a time ripe for mischief.Into an already incendiary atmosphere, the new governor (from Florence) insists that an opera of his choice - The Brewer of Preston - is performed at the opening of the new Vigàta opera house. The proposed performance then becomes a battleground for the various factions, as they plot and counter-plot drawing in a Mafioso enforcer, a variety of militiamen, lovers looking for a second chance at happiness, a philandering doctor, an incorruptible policeman and a variety of innocent bystanders.Camilleri is in total control in telling his farcical tale - it is seen from a variety of different character and time perspectives, which adds to the fun; his description of the political machinations are, as ever, well-observed, droll and frightening, as cogs within cogs roll on in a process that no-one totally understands. It's not giving away much to say that. in the main the innocent suffer, the corrupt get promoted and whoever is controlling events, makes sure no-one knows of their existence.
What do You think about Il Birraio Di Preston (1995)?
An opera for the ages?Andrea Camilleri lets us have the full force of his sarcastic, sardonic humor in this delightful book. I had never read one of his novels other than the Inspector Montalban mysteries and this novel was a delightful surprise. It is apparently based on events which actually occurred in Sicily in the 1850s. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys satirical humor. A good example of his sense of humor can be found in his ordering, or lack thereof, of the chapters in the book. I found it difficult to go back-and-forth between various timelines he uses to tell the tale. However, in the author's note at the end of the book he specifically says that readers may want to put the chapters in any order that suits them best! I was glad to learn that this was not my problem, but his. In any event, I highly recommend this book.
—Rebecca Mulligan
O autor cria seu romance baseado num acontecimento real: o prefeito de uma pequena cidade no sul da Itália, Vigatta, impõe a encenação de uma ópera lírica a fim de inaugurar o teatro da cidade. Porém, a população é contra e cria-se um clima de revolução que vai desencadear uma tragédia. O problema do livro é ele não ter um personagem central e isso me impediu de ter uma referência numa história vista sob pontos de vistas diferentes por personagens que não sabemos bem quem são. Faltou profundidade, faltou envolvimento. O final é interessante por trazer a mesma história resumida por um jornalista mostrando como um mesmo fato pode ter várias versões. Destaque para o epílogo que traz o nome dos capítulos que fazem referência à grandes obras literárias.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf80P...HISTÓRICO DE LEITURA""Excelência, posso falar em espartano? Espartano quer dizer falar com palavras chulas. Por que merda o senhor se aporrinha querendo impor aos vigatenses a montagem de uma ópera que eles não querem engolir?"" "Era uma noite de dar medo, realmente pavorosa. Gerd Hoffer, que ainda não tinha 10 anos, a um trovejar mais estrondoso, que fez tremerem os vidros das janelas, acordou sobressaltado, sentindo, ao mesmo tempo, uma irresistível vontade de mijar."
—Gláucia Renata
This is one of the funniest books I've read in a while, with several laugh out loud scenes, and plenty of social and political satire. The chapters are arranged haphazardly, and Camilleri helpfully suggests in the final chapter ("Chapter I") that the reader should feel free to rearrange them according to taste. I expect this was a very hard book to translate owing to Camilleri's apparently liberal use of dialect and puns, but Satarelli does his usual excellent job.The novel is set in Vigàta shortly after the unification of Italy, and the local population is seething with resentment at the northerners who have been placed in positions of local power, and most especially the Florentine Bortuzzi who has been appointed prefect of Montelusa province, and who is in league with a local mafioso. Bortuzzi's insistence that the local theater in Vigàta be inaugurated with an obscure opera of his choosing leads to chaos and open rebellion.
—Dale
