The Loves

Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.0
Word count
493K words
Chapters
50

Tags

Foreign Language Books Portrait GalleryLove EntanglementsTheme of LoveAngst RomanceDaily ReflectionsTender SentimentLyrical WritingPoetry and ProseClassical CharmItalian Literature

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Gli amori by Federico De RobertoAuthor: ,Language: Italian, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Mar 28, 2012

Editor's review

Gli amori is a work by the Italian writer Federico De Roberto, belonging to the canon of Italian literature and released as a public-domain electronic text by Project Gutenberg. The title literally means "Love," but De Roberto's tone is usually anything but saccharine: he excels at examining emotion, desire, and the psychological distance between people with a cool, almost clinical narrative, so the work is better approached as an entry point into Italian verismo literary sensibilities than as popular romance. Its value lies in the language and narrative itself—the Italian original preserves the rhythm and diction of late-19th-century prose, and it is helpful for learning Italian literary expression and appreciating psychological characterization within short or novella-length structures. Because public-domain ebooks lack modern annotations and introductions, readers must supply the author's biography and the context of verismo literature on their own. Overall it suits readers willing to read the original slowly and with a basic interest in Italian literary history; those seeking light love stories may find the narration cold and distant.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. Learn the basics of De Roberto and Italian verismo before entering the text
  2. Keep an Italian-Chinese dictionary at hand and mark recurring vocabulary of emotion and psychological description
  3. Read piece by piece or chapter by chapter, noting character relationships and emotional shifts after each part
  4. Compare with short works by contemporary Italian writers to appreciate differences in narrative coldness

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50

FAQ

Is this book a romance novel? Although the title means "Love," De Roberto's approach leans toward cool psychological analysis and social observation rather than sweet romance. Readers expecting romantic plots may be surprised; it is better seen as literature examining the complexities of emotion and human nature.
What level of Italian is needed? The original is late-19th-century literary Italian, with period features in syntax and diction. Intermediate or higher reading ability in Italian is recommended, along with dictionary and annotation support. Beginners will find the original frustrating and may start with a translation or introductory material before attempting the original.
Does the public-domain electronic edition include annotations? Project Gutenberg editions generally provide only the public-domain source text, typically without detailed modern scholarly annotations or introductions. Readers need to look up the author's biography, verismo literary background, and difficult passages themselves, or read alongside other research materials.
Is it suitable for classroom use? It can serve as supplementary reading in Italian literature courses, but instructors must prepare their own background introductions, annotations, and discussion questions. Lacking modern editorial work, it is not recommended as the sole textbook for beginners without guidance.

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About the author

Project Gutenberg Author

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