- Paperback: 144 pages
- Publisher: Vintage; New edition edition (30 Nov 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0099282720
- ISBN-13: 978-0099282723
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.6 x 1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 280,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
A story which presents an interesting what-if proposition concerning two poets - the dying John Keats and the Roman-dialect poet Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli - who may or may not have met in Rome in 1820-1821.
From the Publisher
A tour de force
Abba Abba is about two poets who may or may not have met in Rome in 1820-1821. One was John Keats, who was dying in a house on the Spanish Steps. The other was Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli – a great poet, little known outside Rome, since he wrote in the rough, dirty, blasphemous dialect of the Roman streets. The first part of this book is about Keats and Belli. The second part presents Belli himself as poet, translated by Anthony Burgess.
Abba Abba is about two poets who may or may not have met in Rome in 1820-1821. One was John Keats, who was dying in a house on the Spanish Steps. The other was Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli – a great poet, little known outside Rome, since he wrote in the rough, dirty, blasphemous dialect of the Roman streets. The first part of this book is about Keats and Belli. The second part presents Belli himself as poet, translated by Anthony Burgess.
‘Scholarship and imagination blend together here to produce an intensely literary book that reads as if it were a period document’ Anthony Curtis, Financial Times
‘Burgess is arguably one of the most gifted novelists in English’ Robert Nye, The Times
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Burgess has, in Abba Abba, created a very witty, erudite little book based on the possibility that John Keats may have met up with fellow poet Belli while in Rome. At first sight it may seem hard going, but bear with it – your hard work will pay rich dividends! Although peppered with odd comments in Italian, French and Latin these are either explained or it is obvious from context what they mean. Keats and Belli come through as rounded, thoroughly likeable characters, despite the obligatory artistic temperaments and eccentricities.
The book is split into two parts. The first part deals with Keats meeting Belli in Rome. Keats is slowly dying of consumption and is desperately trying to write his last great poem. Belli has written a sonnet of which he is ashamed, it being an exposition on the male organ (think Monty Python for the 19th century). Keats obtained a copy of this poem through their mutual friend Giuielmi who had kept back his translation, unbeknownst to Belli. Burgess deals with this conflict very well (Belli has an inner conflict too, as he is quite pious and cannot really deal with his more base nature). Indeed conflict permeates this section of the novella – for Keats is virulently anti-Christian and God, much to the chagrin of his companion, Severn. He also argues often with his doctor, who insists on restricting him to a light diet with no alcohol and that he compliment this diet with rest and calm deportment.
The descriptions of Rome are understated, but beautiful. All the characters are rounded. The word play is just amazing. It is clear that Anthony Burgess is a very clever man, and he has researched his background thoroughly and well. This is also evidenced by the title of the book which refers both to the structure of the first 8 lines of a sonnet, and to the name by which Jesus referred to God (it is Aramaic for Daddy). He therefore manages to incorporate both poetry and religion into the title, just as in his novel. In the second part of the book he presents some translations of Belli’s work which had been produced by John Wilson, a 19th century Mancunian who had become very interested in Belli’s poetry. Some of the sonnets, therefore, have dialect in them, and are all the more enriched for it.
At only 120 pages or so, this really is a little gem. So, if you fancy a compelling and interesting historical novel with literary references that will make you think, then this is the book for you.
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