The Skin by Curzio Malaparte
A Surrealist War Novel
This book is a vivid and harrowing account of the liberation of Naples by the Allies during World War II, as seen through the eyes of the author, who serves as a liaison officer with the American forces. It delves into the moral and physical decay that war brings to a city and its inhabitants, exploring themes of survival, the price of liberation, and the complex relationship between conquerors and the conquered. Through a series of grotesque, often shocking episodes, the narrative portrays the desperation and degradation of a society stripped of dignity, where human skin becomes a metaphor for the erosion of humanity itself. The work is a powerful, if unsettling, examination of the human condition under the extreme pressures of war, betrayal, and occupation.
The 706th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1949
- Nationality
- Italian
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 250-300
- Original Language
- Italian
- Avg User Rating
-
(4.0)
- Alternate Titles
-
- La Pelle
- La pelle
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This book is on the following 6 lists:
- 4635th on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 100 Books, 100 Companions (Zeit Online)
- Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher (Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher)
- List of the 100 best Italian books of the last 200 years (IL RIFUGIO DELL'IRCOCERVO)
- One Hundred Italian Novels (1901-1995) (Cento Romanzi Italiani)
- Zeit Literaturkanon (https://www.librarything.com/award/335/ZEIT-Literaturkanon)