LA MENNULARA
Simonetta Agnello Hornby
Feltrinelli
Rights sold to:
Denmark - Gyldendal
Finland - Otava
France – Liana Levi
Germany - Piper
Greece – Psicogis
Hungary - Helikon
Netherlands - Wereldbiblioteeck
Norway - Pax
Portugal – Dom Quixote
Spain – Tusquets Editores
Catalan - La Magrana
Sweden - Bonniers
UK - Penguin
USA - Farrar Strauss
Australia - Text
An intense and moving depiction of post-war Sicily
Book description:
On September 23th, 1963 when Maria Rosalia Inzerillo dies, the town of Roccacolomba bristles with talk. Inzerillo, known to one and all as “la Mennulara” (the almond picker), had worked her way from humble origins as a peasant to become the housekeeper and administrator for the powerful Alfallipe family. Yet who was she, really? – an opportunist?, a seducer?, a pawn for the local Mafia?, a humble servant who ruled her master?, a sly blackmailer waiting for a payoff? Secrets are known, but not spoken, and rumors abound. For the Alfallipes, she was the family’s savior: managing the family affairs and saving the family fortune from disappearing through the sybaritic inclinations of the patriarch Orazio Alfallipe; and following his death, keeping his widow company in the large family villa. Yet perhaps more importantly, it was she who raised the Alfallipe’s three children – Lilla, Carmela and Gianni, who now return to the family manor and begin to feel that they have been victims of the woman’s cunning. A chorus of narrative voices sketches a posthumous portrait of an extraordinary woman who held a wealthy family, a Mafia boss, and a whole town in the palm of her hand. Set against the backdrop of post-war Sicilian society and mores. La Mennulara is being heralded as one of the Italian publishing events of the year, and one of the finest depictions of a woman in Italian literature since Elsa Morante’s Menzogna e sortilegio.
Sinopse:
Este é um extraordinário retrato de mulher e um louco teatro de mistérios e paixões, de delírios sensuais e de personagens e visões inesquecíveis. Uma grande história siciliana. Morreu a Mennulara, criada da família Alfallipe, de cujo património sempre foi, sem nunca abandonar a posição subalterna, prudente administradora. Todos falam dela porque se contam histórias sobre a riqueza que teria acumulado, talvez favorecida pelas relações com a mafia local.
CULTURE: PRIZES- SIMONETTA AGNELLO HORNBY WINS THE ’’CENTO LIBRI’’
Alassio (Savona), August 22nd. (Adnkronos) - Simonetta Agnello Hornby has won the ’’Alassio 100 Books-An Author for Europe’’ Prize, with the novel ’’La Mennulara’’ (Feltrinelli). This was decided by a jury made up of eight Italianists, professors at the leading European universities. The author overcame competition from Roberto Alajmo, Rosa Matteucci, Antonio Pennacchi, Roberto Perrone and Simona Vinci. The ceremony for the presentation of the recognition (nearly 8,000 euros), organized by the City of Alassio (Savona), Council for Culture, will take place on Saturday 6th September. It will be presented by Gerry Scotti and the actors Lia Tanzi and Giuseppe Pambieri will read some pieces taken from the winning book.
Premio Stresa di Narrativa 2003 “La Mennulara” di Simonetta Agnello Hornby vince l’edizione 2003 del Premio Stresa di Narrativa Simonetta Agnello Hornby con “La Mennulara”, edizioni Feltrinelli, ha vinto l’edizione 2003 del Premio Stresa di Narrativa.
La Giuria dei Lettori e la Giuria dei Critici, presieduta da Gianfranco Lazzaro e composta da Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, Angelo Gaccione, Cesare Medail, Orlando Perera e Ariberto Segala, hanno assegnato alla scrittrice siciliana d’origine e londinese d’adozione il primo premio con 22 voti.
Breve profilo dell’opera premiata:
Sicilia, 1963. Maria Rosalia Inzerillo, più conosciuta come la "Mennulara" (la raccoglitrice di mandorle), è morta. Domestica della famiglia Alfallipe e amministratrice del suo patrimonio, la Mennulara è però soprattutto un mistero per la popolazione del paese. Tutti ne parlano perché si favoleggia sulla ricchezza che avrebbe accumulato, forse favorita dalle relazioni con la mafia locale. Tutti ne parlano perchè sanno e non sanno, perché c’è chi la odia e la maledice e chi la ricorda con gratitudine. Senza di lei Orazio Alfallipe avrebbe dissipato proprietà e rendite. Senza di lei Adriana Alfallipe, una volta morto il marito, sarebbe rimasta sola in un palazzo enorme. Senza di lei i figli di Adriana e Orazio sarebbero cresciuti senza futuro.
Il libro è curiosamente dedicato alla British Airways, la compagnia aerea britannica, che, spiega Simonetta Agnello Hornby, le ha permesso di mantenere i contatti tra la terra d’origine, la Sicilia, e Londra dove vive da trent’anni svolgendo la professione di avvocato. L’idea e la struttura del romanzo, racconta la scrittrice siciliana, sono nati proprio nelle sale d’attesa degli aeroporti, dove le è capitato di attendere a lungo un volo della British Airways.
Reviews:
Elle doit en avoir des comptes à régler avec la Sicile, Simonetta Agnello Hornby, pour réussir un tel flingage. Un vrai jeu de massacre. Pas une ligne qui ne mette dans le mille. Un sens infaillible du détail qui tue. Difficile de résister à ce premier roman publié à l’âge de 57 ans, après des années de lente maturation. Il faut dire que l’auteur ne manque ni de mémoire ni d’esprit. ... Simonetta Agnello Hornby, à l’exemple de ses compatriotes les plus illustres, les Sciascia ou les Camilleri, sait mieux que quiconque trousser une histoire qui vous tiendra par la barbichette jusqu’à la dernière ligne. Toute l’intrigue est en effet bâtie sur une série de mystères que le récit finit par lever les uns après les autres. (Michel Abescat, Télérama, 21/05/2003)
"L’Amandière" dresse le portrait magnifique d’un pays prisonnier de ses traditions (la Sicile des années 60), celui d’une femme (une domestique) et d’un amour (contrarié). Trois cents pages foisonnantes de personnages, rythmées par des chapitres courts aux titres prometteurs, à la manière des romans-feuilletons du XIXe siècle. Une histoire pas autobiographique, mais nourrie de ses souvenirs de fille de l’aristocratie. ... Jusqu’au bout de "L’Amandière", on se pose la question : quelle femme est vraiment l’héroïne ? Une fidèle servante ? L’administratrice des biens d’une famille riche ? Un pion de la mafia locale ? Qui lira jugera. (Isabelle Lortholary, Elle, 19/05/2003)
«Al leer esta novela se experimenta un verdadero placer, algo ciertamente insólito en nuestra literatura.»
Andrea Camilleri
About the author:
Simonetta Agnello Hornby was born in Palermo. She finished her law degree in England, and lives in London where she is president of the Tribunal of Special Educational Needs. Her law firm in Brixton represents the Black and Muslim community, and she has worked for many years defending the rights of women in the Arab world.