Another book by Stefano Benni. This is actually
a novel and actually quite a proper one, for funny that it is.
Forget about quidditch, this book sees the
introduction of the best fictional game ever: pallastrada (it could be loosely translated as streetball in
English, but it has no relation to pick-up basketball). Not even the author
actually fully understands the rules of the game, which seem to be in constant
flux (although it has to be played on any kind of surface except for grass, the
pitch needs at least a part of gravel, a hurdle like a tree of a rock, be on a
slope, and possibly in a place where the ball gone out of bounds can roll away
for miles – no player can be subbed out until 60% of his/her/its legs are
covered in blood).
Yet, despite the hilarious play-by-play
reports, the book is also quite deep: it ironically discusses the stories of
the humblest Italian boys, it portrays an evil national oligarch years before
the final rise to (political) power of Berlusconi, looks at the idiosyncrasies of
the Catholic Church (and its head, the “great meringue”) and it is overall an
allegory of the fight between good and evil (although its description of the
German pallastrada team might not be particularly politically correct).
In short: this is just a great book.
