Passions
The extraordinary quality of Giacomo Leopardi's writing and the innovative nature of his thought were never fully recognized in his lifetime. Zibaldone, his 4,500-page intellectual diary – a vast collection of thoughts on philosophy, civilization, literary criticism, linguistics, humankind and its vanities, and other varied topics – remained unpublished until more than a half-century after his death. But shortly before he died, Leopardi began to organize a small, thematic collection of his writings in an attempt to give structure and system to his philosophical musings. Now freshly translated into English by master translator, novelist and critic Tim Parks, Leopardi's "The Passions" presents 164 entries reflecting the full breadth of human passion. The volume offers a fascinating introduction to Leopardi's arguments and insights, as well as a glimpse of the concerns of philosophers to come, among them Nietzche, Dostoevsky, Wittgenstein, Gadda, and Becket.
About the Author
Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837) was a prolific writer, translator and thinker in Italy during the years of European upheaval that followed the French Revolution. He became a fluent translator of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, earned high regard as the "first modern Italian classic poet", and is also esteemed for his diverse prose work.
Tim Parks is the author of fifteen novels, including" Europa" which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, four acclaimed memoirs of life in contemporary Italy, and other non-fiction works. He runs a post-graduate degree programme in translation at IULM University in Milan, Italy, and has translated works by Moravia, Calvino, Calasso, Machiavelli, and numerous others.
Reviews
"Revenge is so sweet one often wishes to be insulted so as to be able to take revenge, and I don't mean just by an old enemy, but anyone, or even (especially when in a really bad mood) by a friend" – from "The Passions"
