I leoni di Sicilia by Stefania Auci Review

Florio – now solves this name with us barely emotions. Wine connoisseurs will appreciate the Marsala from the Cantine Florio , motor sports fans may have heard of the Targa Florio , the breakneck car racing, which takes place annually made uncertain 1906 to 1979, the mountain roads north of Sicily. It was founded by Vincenzo Florio in life, the second of that name in a family whose reputation had at that time international standing. But nowhere was so venerated in Sicily. 1989 died with Giulia Florio, the last heir to a dynasty that had embodied the progress on the island for more than a century and half

Stefania Aucis novel depicts the fate of the first two generations (until 1868;.

A sequel is sure consequences). The beginnings were very modest, but the traits that would promote the rise came forth already clear. After two earthquakes devastated their südkalabrisches hometown and deaths had demanded, the two Florio brothers Paolo let (a tough guy) and Ignazio (clever, understanding, lovable) 1799 in Palermo down and turn their little spice warehouse within a few years became one of the leading agreements ( “drogheria”) for spices, herbs, medicinal raw materials and colonial goods from around the world.

They work hard, learn fast, reliable, competent, disciplined and determined and evade the powerful established competition soon demanding customers. But they harvest envy, suspicion, hatred, humiliation and intrigue, and long sticks to them the call, they are nothing but immigrated sweaty “Lastenträger, Handlanger”

Important supporters are from the outset old noble families whose influence remains secured in the ultra-conservative class society of the Bourbons until the Unification of Italy.

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their arrogance is hardly bearable, although her long ago eroded showcased worn pride. gradually, many have to pledge or sell their silverware (not provided it on card table gambling away), appreciate, and yet demand the highest quality. at the same time a prosperous citizenship is gaining influence, the social background is less relevant than expertise and first-class goods. About both have the Florio, to about discretion and unbiased manner. Her breakthrough to unprecedented Unternehmensdime nsionen, social significance and great financial strength but achieved by far-sighted, bold innovations. Paolo’s son Vincenzo learns from English merchants such as Benjamin Ingham and John Woodhouse, who could succeed in backward Sicily, and their modern ways of thinking and methods appropriates. to operate a trading house it is not enough – he wants to keep the entire production chain from agriculture, fisheries and mining to shipping overseas in his hand, introduce mechanization beyond, bringing industry to Sicily and state monopolies secure

<. p> Palermo is at the beginning of the nineteenth century, a bustling metropolis of great international appeal. But it is, as the whole island under the Kuratell the reactionary Bourbons residing magnificently in distant Naples and stifle any in their “Kingdom of the Two Sicily” liberalization desire in the bud. Here, they are the Britons who struggle with France for influence in the Mediterranean to help. For decades rebellious uprisings in Sicily are brutally put down, landing on the west coast until 1860 Garibaldi, defeated the Neapolitan army, connects the island to the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Italian government is formed. Who gives Southern Italy, however, not even the centuries-awaited self-determination, but simply inverts his Piedmontese structures over – with dismal consequences to this day. All these political vicissitudes, the Florio family maneuvered solely their own interests following.

Stefania Auci, born in Trapani and now living in Palermo, has this potential-rich and yet fictional raw material drawn for her novel on land , Their self-imposed standards – “cercando di ricostruire non solo la vita di una famiglia, ma anche lo Spirito di una città e di un’epoca” – has filled them with flying colors. Already in his concept of this book contains everything that promises a bestseller. It is located in a time and area where much seems strange, it looks at a historic family-sounding name, with strong men and women to blaze through anything and not let anyone discourage their paths to success, with nasty opponents and their intrigues, which nevertheless can not do anything against the superiority of the protagonist, finally with their love and sorrow, feelings and secrets, strengths, terror and fates on back decades. In corporate and press archives, in addition to the possessions of the family, the author found plenty of material they processed into an epic sweeping Schmöker in private documents and correspondence, which before its release in Italy to Germany, France, Spain, the USA and the Netherlands has been sold and is intended for a television series.

Auci tells the story straight, without frills, pretty sequentially in small scenes, between which longer periods are skipped sometimes. More space than the bold entrepreneurial activities they dedicated the detailed elaboration of the characters and their inner life. With Ignazio and Paolo, his wife Giuseppina and both son Vincenzo, a brother and a young orphaned niece to Palermo had come. If later Vincenzo – an equally rigorous, materialistic and possessive man like his father – expands the company into a corporation with many areas of business, he pulls entrepreneurs daughter Giulia from Milan to his side (where today’s readers will be shocked at how even women of the ‘better circles

Extremely charming is the vibrant aspect of the story with details that appeal to all senses. This is worthy of the subject because we can the smells, colors, sounds in the core business ( “aromateria”) understand the Florio. Cleverly built expert commentary shed light on the exotic goods, their origin, processing and effect in kitchen, cosmetics and medicine. By the Florio men expand their activities, we also learn about silk, sulfur, Marsala wine, its canned tuna, on steam engines, ships and English factories on international trade relations and political developments. As impressive vividly describes Auci living quarters, clothing, the hustle and bustle in the harbor and in the streets of Palermo and the conversations unterschiedlichster register, often created with dialect sprinklings, is not only the depth of their research, but also her sensitive imagination.

However, the text for the advanced language learners (level B2) no requirement is because the style is relatively simple to literary standards, simple syntax to understand Italian well for us non-Italians. The narrative is tense throughout the present tense. As for the many technical terms for goods, business and technology as well as the dialect expressions do you need courage to leave gaps and just read – the meanings clarified themselves irrelevant often by subsequent paraphrase, in repeats, from the context, and at worst it is, from which exotic herb is talk straight. Or you hold it with Benjamin Ingham, “un inglese giovanotto because poco arrivato a Palermo”, which can not do much with the term “Taliàrisi u ‘cappotto”. “L’inglese aveva aggrottato la fronte nel tentativo di quella frase capire. Ne INTUIVA il significato, aveva provato a ripeterla. Poi era scoppiato in una risata rauca perché non c’era riuscito.”