This is a book written from the heart. This is the history of a country that is going through a deep moral and economic decline. This country is Italy and the book is “L’apocalisse è un lieto fine”. At the moment there is no version in English of this book, but we have decided to review it because, as said, this is a book not only written from words, but also from the heart. Ermanno Olmi is a famous Italian director and this book was written when he celebrated his birthday, in July 2012.
That month and that year, Ermanno Olmi was a brilliant and wise 81 year old man who decided to write his first book, a biography, the history of his life. Ermanno Olmi was born in Bergamo in 1931. He comes from a family of peasants. The history of Ermanno Olmi is that of an entire life spent within the vicissitudes of Italy, the second world war, poverty, economic crisis and escape from countries to the cities. Olmi also tells the economic rise of the Italian postwar, the economic boom and the arrival of wellness and consumerism.
The history of Olmi is also that of a hard work at the Edison, where he was hired after his father’s death. Inside this Company, Olmi developed his passion for theatre and cinema and began to make the first short movies. The life of Ermanno Olmi has been a long experience of pain, misery, happiness and, later, success. For Ermanno Olmi, success was also to make great movies, such as The Tree of Wooden Clogs, in Italian L’Albero degli zoccoli, and The Legend of the Holy Drinker, La leggenda del Santo Bevitore, awarded in Cannes and in Venice.
Through short chapters and pages written and titled like a newspaper article, Olmi describes and explores the changes in the Italian and European economic life. The author looks to the current crisis like a wise man shaped by the sufferings of life.
His thoughts are for the new generation and youths, who, today, perhaps, may not have the same opportunities of the past. While Olmi was writing his book, he also asked many questions to readers and himself about the modern world. With these considerations, the author reaches a very high and deep level of writing, a heartfelt invite governments to not forget the good rules of healthy and natural lifestyle.
He also remembers that on newspapers published in the same years of his birth (1931), there were, too, those who spoke about the economic crisis and probable downturn in Europe. What has changed during these years? Nothing! This is the hard answer that Olmi gave to himself in his book. When the author describes the problems of the Italian economy, he writes like a poet and we would like to translate one sentence who includes all of the dramatic vicissitudes who Italians are enduring because of this endless and unfair economic crisis.
“ Will we manage to find back the right path? Justice and honesty are not sufficient. In addition to what everybody can make for himself, each of us could also make more to other people. In the hands of a few people, richness is a crime against mankind”. Every day in Italy workers and entrepreneurs commit suicide because of job loss and bankruptcy of companies, but also in this painful and tragic situation, Olmi manages to find a new hope:” Never stop dreaming“. This is the appeal turned to young Italians: believe always in yourself and create your future as our fathers did before us.
Source of the image: Amazon.it
Rosalba Mancuso is the journalist, born in Sicily, who founded three online magazines in English. On Advicebooks Book Reviews, Rosalba shows her great passion for books, helping readers and book lovers choose and buy the best books she read and reviewed. She also worked as a contributor to print and online magazines and as a bilingual Italian-English writer. Here, Rosalba also offers room to authors and publishers who want to get their books reviewed through the voice of an avid reader like her. You must also know that this book review magazine lives thanks to your help. Rosalba, in fact, earns a small commission, with no cost for you, when you buy books through the affiliate links you find in her book reviews. This book review magazine is also funded by services of editorial reviews and book press releases.
