The Colour of Time

Federico De RobertoProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 292K words
Chapters: 30

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.Il colore del tempo by Federico De RobertoAuthor: De Roberto, Federico, 1861-1927,Language: Italian, Class: B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Release Date: May 19, 2010

Editor's review

Federico De Roberto is a key representative of Italian Verismo, better known for his novels, while The Colour of Time is classified in the public-domain catalogue under philosophy, psychology and religion, indicating that it leans toward speculative essays or treatises rather than narrative literature. The title itself is a suggestive image: time has no colour; its so-called colour comes from the observer's mood and standpoint. Reading such a text, the point is not plot but how the author dismantles everyday concepts and grounds abstract questions in concrete experience. It suits readers willing to read slowly and think as they go, and serves as a window into the intellectual tastes of late 19th-century Italian intellectuals. Since the original is in Italian and discursive prose depends heavily on context, non-Italian readers need a translation or parallel reading. It is advisable to proceed in short sections, allowing time to digest each one, rather than pursuing speed.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Italian literature and intellectual history
Readers who enjoy speculative essays and are willing to read slowly and reflect
Advanced learners who need Italian source material for practice
Readers concerned with time, perception and psychological experience

Not a good fit for

General readers hoping for a complete storyline
Readers with no Italian and no translation to consult
Readers seeking light entertainment and a quick read-through

Reading tips

Read section by section; after each, write two or three sentences on your understanding before continuing.
Italian learners can first read the original for the gist, then close-read paragraph by paragraph to handle long sentences.
Keep a notebook of recurring concepts and observe how the author builds them up layer by layer.
If it feels difficult, first find a reliable introduction to Italian literary background and the author's intellectual milieu before reading.

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.

FAQ

Is this book a novel?

According to the public-domain classification, it falls under philosophy, psychology and religion, and is closer in nature to speculative discourse or essays than to a plot-driven novel. If you expect characters and a story line, you may be disappointed; if you are willing to follow the author in thinking through abstract questions, it is fairly suitable.

Can I read it without knowing Italian?

The original is in Italian, and direct reading requires some language foundation. Readers without Italian can look for a Chinese or English translation for parallel reading; if you insist on the original, it is advisable to have at least intermediate Italian and to use dictionaries and background materials, otherwise the cost of understanding is high.

How should the title 'The Colour of Time' be understood?

It is an open-ended image, suggesting that time is not an objective scale but takes on different 'tones' according to one's feelings and circumstances. How the book develops this specifically must be judged from the original argument. While reading, it is better to compare it with your own experience than to rush toward a single standard answer.

Is it suitable to read in one sitting?

Not really. Discursive texts are information-dense, and continuous reading easily leads to fatigue and limited absorption. A more feasible approach is to read in installments by chapter or theme, leaving time for review and reflection after each, and to do an overall review after finishing the whole book; the effect is usually better.

Comments

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About the author

Federico De Roberto Author · Italian · 1861–1927

Federico De Roberto (1861–1927) was an Italian verismo writer. Born in Naples, he moved with his family to Catania in early childhood. He began his career in journalism and associated with leading verismo writers such as Verga and Capuana, whose influence shaped his own fiction. His masterpiece, I Viceré, traces the rise and fall of a Sicilian aristocratic family to reflect the social changes around Italian unification; his other works include L'Illusione, Ermanno Raeli, Documenti Umani and Catania. His fiction focuses chiefly on Sicilian society and historical change, with a precise, restrained style and close attention to psychology and social observation. Twelve of his works are held in the collection. Public information on his life and writing is limited and calls for further study.