Category: literature

Books, literature, Quotes

Carl Gustav Jung

Every July 26th marks the birthday of Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist who gave us the shadow, the archetype, and the collective unconscious. But who was the man behind these now-everyday words? This post traces Jung’s journey from his lonely Swiss childhood to his dramatic break with Freud, the birth of analytical psychology, and his groundbreaking dialogue with Eastern philosophy through Taoism and the I Ching. Discover how his ideas quietly shaped fields as different as literature, art, anthropology, and even addiction recovery — and why concepts like individuation and shadow work feel more relevant today than ever. Complete with verified quotes (and a few famous fakes debunked), this is a birthday tribute to the thinker who taught us that looking inward is how we truly wake up. Continue reading Carl Gustav Jung

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Books, Letteratura, literature, short stories, translation

Lion or Foe, by Grazia Deledda 🇮🇹✒️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

English translation curated by Enzo Martinelli of Grazia Deledda’s short story, “Lion or Foe”, from her short story collection “Summer Sunshine”, along with original Italian text.

Traduzione inglese curata da Enzo Martinelli del racconto di Grazia Deledda, “Leone o faina”, dalla sua raccolta di racconti “Sole d’estate”, con testo originale a fronte. Continue reading Lion or Foe, by Grazia Deledda 🇮🇹✒️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Unknown's avatarEnzo MartinelliLeave a comment
literature, short stories

The Young King, by Oscar Wilde 🌿🖋📖

“The Young King” by Oscar Wilde is one of the most luminous tales from A House of Pomegranates (1891), blending aesthetic beauty with deep moral reflection. In this introduction, you’ll find a clear, reader‑friendly overview of the story’s themes, symbolism, and narrative arc — followed by the original English text and Enzo Martinelli’s translation in Italian of the short story.

Wilde’s tale follows a sixteen‑year‑old boy raised in poverty who suddenly discovers he is heir to the throne. On the eve of his coronation, he confronts three haunting visions that reveal the suffering behind the luxurious robe, crown, and sceptre prepared for him. These dreams transform his understanding of beauty, power, and compassion, leading to one of Wilde’s most striking moral reversals. Continue reading The Young King, by Oscar Wilde 🌿🖋📖

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Books, literature, short stories, translation

Pirandello’s Short Stories 🇮🇹🖋️🇺🇸

Luigi Pirandello is celebrated worldwide as a Nobel laureate and theatrical innovator — yet the vast majority of his short story collection, the Novelle per un anno, has never appeared in English. This essay examines how that silence has distorted the anglophone reception of one of European modernism’s most radical writers, which stories have been translated and why, and what a complete critical edition would restore to English-language readers. A new ebook — pairing first English translations of selected stories with original critical essays — begins to address what has been missing for too long. Continue reading Pirandello’s Short Stories 🇮🇹🖋️🇺🇸

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Books, literature, short stories, translation

The Suicide Ships, by Horacio Quiroga

English translation by Enzo Martinelli of Horacio Quiroga’s short story, “Los buques suicidantes – The Suicide Ships”, from his short story collection “Cuentos de amor, locura y muerte – Stories of Love, Madness and Death”. Published in translation into English, along with the original text in Spanish of the story. Continue reading The Suicide Ships, by Horacio Quiroga

Unknown's avatarEnzo MartinelliLeave a comment
literature, short stories

Short stories by Machado de Assis ✒️📃🇧🇷

Born in Rio de Janeiro on June 21, 1839, Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis is widely celebrated as the classic master of Brazilian literature , a writer whose wit and irony transcended his country’s borders to influence world literature at large. On the 187th anniversary of his birth, we’re proud to announce a new ebook in preparation: the English translation of Papéis Avulsos, his 1882 collection gathering twelve short stories , including the celebrated satirical novella “O Alienista,” in which Machado wittily skewers the era’s blind faith in scientific positivism . Featuring critical essays on his poetics, this edition will finally bring one of his most pivotal works to English-speaking readers in full. Continue reading Short stories by Machado de Assis ✒️📃🇧🇷

Unknown's avatarEnzo MartinelliLeave a comment
Books, literature, Poetry, portugues, translation

Poetic Multitude, by Fernando Pessoa 🇵🇹✒️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Born in Lisbon on 13 June 1888, Fernando Pessoa is best known for his extraordinary use of heteronyms — distinct literary personas, each with their own unique style, philosophy and voice  — a radical innovation that forever changed the landscape of modern poetry. On the 137th anniversary of his birth, we celebrate his legacy with the launch of our new ebook: a curated selection of his poetry in English translation, accompanied by critical essays on his poetics. Virtually unknown beyond Portugal during his lifetime, Pessoa’s work has since gained extraordinary worldwide recognition , securing his place among the great voices of twentieth-century world literature. Continue reading Poetic Multitude, by Fernando Pessoa 🇵🇹✒️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Unknown's avatarEnzo Martinelli1 Comment