Novecento is the third book I read by Alessandro Baricco, an author I love very much. I’ll read another of his books this year, and I am looking forward to it. I liked the author’s second book, Silk, that I read so much that I wanted to spend more time with this author. I’m glad I did. Novecento will end in one sitting, but unfortunately, you won’t want it to end.
Novecento tells the story of a baby abandoned on a huge cruise ship in 1900. It is this year that this baby was born, which gave its name. The baby, left in a box on the piano, starts living on the ship and spends his whole life there. As you can imagine, it turns into an incredible character. And of course, he fascinatingly plays the piano. We listen to this exquisite character’s story from a musician who boards the ship to play the trumpet. You will read it with great interest until the end, and you will be delighted to meet such a character. This man who has never stepped ashore will tell you a lot. As I said, you will want it never to end, but it will end in no time. Alessandro Baricco manages very well to tell stories that enchant you. You must buy a book and read it, and the rest will follow. Enjoy!
Novecento
“When you don’t know what it is…it’s jazz.” At the turn of the 20th Century, the great cruise liner Virginia shuttles back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean, transporting passengers from old Europe to the New World. When an abandon baby is find on board the sailors christen Novecento 1900. The child is destine to a strange fate. Novecento will never leave the ship as long as he lives, yet he becomes the greatest jazz musician the world would never know. He only knows his music, which has a magical effect on everyone who hears. For six years before World War II, Tim Tooney played trumpet with him and Novecento gave him his story… Adapt for film in The Legend of 1900, this stage adaptation presented as a monologue, is a beautiful piece of theatre.
Alessandro Baricco
Alessandro Baricco is an Italian writer, director and performer. His novels have been translate into a wide number of languages. He lives in Rome with his wife and two sons.
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