Late Cancer Show

Yesterday night I deliberately watched David Letterman because I knew Michael Douglas was there. He discussed his throat cancer and the severity of his conditions. Yet, he seemed so strong and determined to fight cancer that he looked like a teenager eager to taste life. I've just read an article on La Repubblica - my favourite Italian newspaper. I'm old fashioned: I don't read online newspapers, I still turn pages and I read  while I'm sipping my morning coffee. I will never give up this early morning pleasure- written by the well known Italian oncologist Umberto Veronesi. He claims that there has been a significant shift: cancer is not a taboo anymore and the fact that Michael Douglas made a public appearance and talked opening about his battle is very important. It may have an impact on both patients and society: he has cancer, he speaks about it and he seems a warrior enganged in a challenging but not impossible to win battle. According to Veronesi, this is a cultural revolution. I partially agree with him. We (Italians) are not there yet as there is a sort of "general embarassment" even if I'm not sure this is the right way to put it.  We tend to be more reticent to speak out and I can't imagine an Italian actor being so open about his illness after the first week of treatment. I wish we were so open but I'm afraid it will take us time to adjust to this important social and cultural revolution.

My favourite boot

Big boy is looking out the window. He is a bit scared, he hears a distant noise of thunders. Sometimes I hear the sound of my thoughts and when they are too loud or confused, I turn off the brain and try to relax. I'm done with my job for today. I have everything I need: my notes, a logical path to follow, two interesting books. I'm wondering if these contemporary Italian authors have been translated in English. Probably no and it's a shame. As I mentioned, Italian culture is still very rich in terms of authors, cinema and music and I don't understand why so many people don't realize this simple fact. Italy is corrupted but by no means is "ignorant" (well, Berlusconi's supporters are ignorant and it seems they are the majority of the country but I'm thinking about my country as a per se entity with emotions, soul and history). Italy is brillant and creative. She -Italy must be a woman, I'm sure- lives at the Empire's perimeters: influenced by American culture (the "empire") and shaped by European ways of thinking but always amazingly provincial. Her strenght is being provincial, I like it because within her long, narrow and boot shaped body there is a whole variety of dialects, food, accents, wines, ruines, local peculiarties which made me love her to death. I fell in love with this boot when I was a kid. Listening to my grandparents' dialect, eating focaccia in Tuscany and polenta in Piedmont, reading Dante, Leopardi, Manzoni, watching Mastroianni and Sofia Loren. The boot is not big but there are lots of things in it. Growing up in such a chaos of dialects, accents, expressions, surrounded by art and beauty, nourished by her delicious gifts (fresh vegetables and fruits) is wonderful. Oh yes, this boot fits me well. I couldn't wear another one despite the fact that looks very old and sometimes I would like to live in a brand new "boot". I can't help it: I like vintage.

ps. By the way, this is post #100.

Edward Said

I should have read it long time ago. Blame on me, it's a bit late now. I came across this masterpiece yesterday and I couldn't put it down. Wonderfully written, this book has changed the perspective of many scholars on the role played by culture (i.e. English literature) in forging imperialism.

The role of culture in the modern imperial experience is in fact paramount and Edward Said looks at "individual works to read them first as great products of the creative or interpretative imagination, and then to show them as part of the relationship between culture and empire" (xxiv).

I'll write more about it.