Amara LakhousRezensionen

Each of several residents of an apartment reveal themselves in statements to the police interspersed with journal entries about them by the primary suspect in a murder investigation. The immigrant experience to Rome of various Mediterranean people, where someone from Naples can be viewed as foreign.

This is an odd little book but one I really enjoyed. Europa Editions rarely steers me wrong.

The novella is a series of monologues from various residents and neighbors of a building in Rome, telling of their experiences and relationship with one character, Amedeo, who has disappeared after another resident is found murdered. The murder is not really the point; rather, Lakhous is painting a portrait of a multinational community, one in conflict with itself between Italians (and even they are not a unified lot) and immigrants. Sly humor is woven throughout the book, which helps to balance the more serious themes of racism, xenophonia, and Islamaphobia. As an Algerian-born writer now living in Italy, he knows of what he speaks.

4 stars

Spectacular.

427

Lorenzo Manfredini, a thug who goes by the moniker The Gladiator, is found dead in the elevator of an apartment building on Piazza Vittorio in Rome. On the same day, a man called Amedeo goes missing, a fact which, in the police’s books, makes him the prime – if not the obvious suspect. Amara Lakhous’ novel – winner of the prestigious Premio Flaiano when it was first published in Italian in 2006 – consists of transcripts of brief police interviews with people who knew Manfredini and Amedeo, interspersed with diary-like entries by the mysterious, elusive Amedeo himself. The interviews provide an insight into the kaleidoscope of cultures which collides in central Rome. Indeed, the subject of the novel is not primarily the fairly tame whodunnit which propels the narrative forward, but the theme of immigration, race and multiculturalism. We learn of the tribulations of foreign immigrants, but also of the inherent racism of such individuals as the Neapolitan concierge Benedetta, even while she is herself looked down upon by Northerners who have settled in the city. Eventually, we discover that Amedeo – taken for an Italian by most of the “witnesses” – is also an immigrant with a poignant past.

Clash of Civilisations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio is an enjoyable, often humorous, sometimes moving novel, well rendered in Ann Goldstein’s translation. That said, considering the depth of the themes it addresses, I found it rather superficial. The interrogations are not long enough to really allow us to delve into the character of the interviewees, who are often portrayed as something of a caricature – the Romanista bar owner, the Milanese snob, the racist Neapolitan. The solution to the mystery is underwhelming, if not downright silly. However, this bittersweet novel doesn’t outstay its welcome, and provides an authentic (and, for some, possibly surprising) view on contemporary Italy.

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2022/06/Clash-of-Civilizations-Elevator-Piazz...

This short novel is about social bubbles colliding. Most of it is told from the viewpoint of journalist Enzo Lagana, but it's occasionally told by a cryptic woman who floats between bubbles in modern-day Turin, including the Roma community. The catalyst here is the reported rape of a young Italian girl by Roma twins. Fueled by xenophobia, the media's story spirals out of control. The journalist Enzo, who is from Southern Italy, soon learns that things are not as reported and there are forces preventing him from telling the truth. And it turns out that many of this Roma community have lived in this area of Italy for hundreds of years, and while many say they must leave, no one cares about immigrants like Lagana's Finnish girlfriend.

A sharp look at prejudice and corrupt media. I will reread this.

Lorenzo Manfredini, a thug who goes by the moniker The Gladiator, is found dead in the elevator of an apartment building on Piazza Vittorio in Rome. On the same day, a man called Amedeo goes missing, a fact which, in the police’s books, makes him the prime – if not the obvious suspect. Amara Lakhous’ novel – winner of the prestigious Premio Flaiano when it was first published in Italian in 2006 – consists of transcripts of brief police interviews with people who knew Manfredini and Amedeo, interspersed with diary-like entries by the mysterious, elusive Amedeo himself. The interviews provide an insight into the kaleidoscope of cultures which collides in central Rome. Indeed, the subject of the novel is not primarily the fairly tame whodunnit which propels the narrative forward, but the theme of immigration, race and multiculturalism. We learn of the tribulations of foreign immigrants, but also of the inherent racism of such individuals as the Neapolitan concierge Benedetta, even while she is herself looked down upon by Northerners who have settled in the city. Eventually, we discover that Amedeo – taken for an Italian by most of the “witnesses” – is also an immigrant with a poignant past.

Clash of Civilisations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio is an enjoyable, often humorous, sometimes moving novel, well rendered in Ann Goldstein’s translation. That said, considering the depth of the themes it addresses, I found it rather superficial. The interrogations are not long enough to really allow us to delve into the character of the interviewees, who are often portrayed as something of a caricature – the Romanista bar owner, the Milanese snob, the racist Neapolitan. The solution to the mystery is underwhelming, if not downright silly. However, this bittersweet novel doesn’t outstay its welcome, and provides an authentic (and, for some, possibly surprising) view on contemporary Italy.

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2022/06/Clash-of-Civilizations-Elevator-Piazz...

An entertaining, quick read. It all ended very abruptly though, which let it down somewhat.

not readable

The plot of this novella revolves around a murder--"the Gladiator" is found murdered in his apartment building elevator. Amedeo, another resident of the building, has been accused. In alternating chapters Lakhous presents narration from different residents, a store owner on the square, the hotel concierge, and the accused himself. A cast of unreliable narrators!

As each person narrates we learn all about the residents, their activities--and the elevator. Through Amedeo's musings we learn more details about stories the others tell. The various immigrants--from Iran, the Netherlands, Bangladesh--are all looked down on by the Italians who largely don't know where they are from (the northerners and southerners also look down on each other). Names are mispronounced and friendly words misunderstood. The satire and humor is strong here. It is both funny yet completely believable and sad. All of these people mean well (maybe not the Gladiator), but through cultural and language barriers they misunderstand so much. The only thing they agree on is that Amedeo was a wonderful man and cannot be guilty.

This book follows two main protagonists: Safia/Sofia, a young Egyptian woman in an unhappy marriage living in Rome and Christian/Issa, a Sicilian man posing as a recent Tunisian immigrant to learn about two terror cells planning an attack in Rome. The chapters alternate their perspectives, and the tone is lightly comedic, drawing the portraits of their friends and acquaintances. The writing was full of references and sayings, which I enjoyed. (Honestly, the football references were probably the hardest to get.) Sofia's story is a little more compelling than Issa's. She has clear wants and desires and he kind of ... floats along as the plot moves around him. It's a short book with that slightly open ending that you see in a lot of literary fiction. I read it very quickly in one sitting, as it's less than 200 pages. It touches on identity, immigration, feminism, and ideas of home and family. The characters argue about these ideas from many different perspectives. Recommended.½

Mia recensione citata in copertina

> Harzoune Mustapha. Amara Lakhous, Choc des civilisations pour un ascenseur Piazza Vittorio. Traduit de l'italien par Élise Gruau, 2007.
In: Hommes et Migrations, n°1272, Mars-avril 2008. Mondialisation et migrations internationales. pp. 180-181. … ; (en ligne),
URL : https://www.persee.fr/doc/homig_1142-852x_2008_num_1272_1_4728_t1_0180_0000_2

Titolo sicuramente d'effetto, personaggi realistici, ambientazione che corrisponde alla realta' odierna, elementi purtroppo veri e sempre difficili da accettare. Ottime aspettative per trovare poi una trama molto scontata, paradossalmente di contorno a tutti gli altri elementi: nei tre elementi precedenti, punto di forza del romanzo, gia' si legge come la vicenda deve evolvere ed andare a finire. Romanzo si' abbastanza buono per instaurare una riflessione, magari per chi e' meno al corrente di queste situazioni, ma sostanzialmente mancato.

“Roma è la memoria dell’umanità, è la città che ci insegna ogni mattina che la vita è un’eterna primavera e la morte una nuvola di passaggio.”

Storia simpatica che mette in risalto la realtà multiculturale, ormai consolidata, presente nel nostro paese.
La suddetta storia si svolge nella mitica Piazza Vittorio di Roma, a due passi dalla stazione termini, il cui quartiere (Esquilino) è già da anni al centro di un’intensa crescita abitativa multirazziale.
Ed è in un condominio che si affaccia su Piazza Vittorio che trovano posto tutti i protagonisti della storia, divisi tra le varie nazionalità ed etnie oltre che da un ascensore che sembra apportare ulteriori malumori e dove succederà qualcosa che sconvolgerà ulteriormente la normale routine del palazzo.
I vari inquilini si troveranno singolarmente a parlare e giustificarsi, ognuno con le proprie nostalgie e amarezze dettate dalla lontananza dai propri paesi d’origine e dalle perduranti difficoltà d’inserimento nel tessuto sociale del nostro paese.
Una costruzione interessante per questa storia che tra le altre cose sembra focalizzare la difficoltà di integrazione degli immigrati oltre che col paese ospitante anche tra loro stessi.
Interessante la tesi sullo scontro di civiltà intorno all’ascensore, da interpretare nella sua forte carica ironica, responsabile di molti dei dissapori all’interno del condominio, tanto che sarà ipotizzata anche una proposta per la sua abolizione.
Comunque una lettura carina su un argomento, l’integrazione degli immigrati, sempre attuale…

"The Gladiator", an unpopular tenant in a Rome apartment building, is found murdered in the elevator. The most popular tenant, Amedeo is missing and is presumed to be the murderer. Through the eyes of nine other tenants, and the police inspector, we learn that Amedeo was always helping the others...with immigration, employment, and other issues large and small. As each tenant speaks, we learn about racism and anti-immigrant sentiment in modern-day Italy. No one really knows each other, or tries to. It is a sad commentary on attitudes about "others" who are different and "don't belong here". And Amedeo, beloved for his honesty, is found to be not at all what everyone thought he was.

I only wish there had been more subtlety in the views of the other tenants. A "clash of civilizations", to me, spoke of differing perspectives and viewpoints, but the only issue at play was immigration. A big enough issue to be sure, but surely not the only pressure point among such a diverse group.½

Funny for the most part, but not his best. Abrupt ending.

This book was written at the gritty level of reality. The senses are piqued. But alas, it is a mafia book.

Per provare a capire come ci vedono gli "altri".

Bancari e zingari - il marketing del prelievo forzoso

Interessante (e inverosimile) accostamento di un due tipi umani che non so se saranno mai rinvenibili nella stessa persona.

Comunque: sottoposte a specifico test le persone che ho contattato confessano di aver più paura degli zingari che dei bancari: che sia la dimostrazione che la valutazione dei rischi è fortemente condizionata da fattori culturali? Bisognerà leggere Mary Douglas per cercare una risposta?

This book was enjoyable until it ended abruptly. I will not read this author's works again.½

I really like Lakhous' previous work. I liked this one right up until the last page...when it ended without finishing. The abrupt, unresolved termination just did not work for me.

O-rendo e politicizzato.

A telling of how immigrants live in Italy, thinly veiled behind some plot.½

This little book about the residents of an Italian apartment building was a delight. The societal clash of long time residents and new immigrants in Italy in general is reflected in the conflicts the residents of one building have about the elevator in their building. Masterful.