Private Angelo (Paperback, Main)

A book that is better in its parts than in its whole, and more significant for its urbane dissection of the Italian peasant, than for its cohesive story. He shows him - in the character of Private Angelo, with his talent for survival rather than combat, with his passive, philosophic acceptance, his high hearted rather than stout hearted conduct. The haphazard fortunes of war as he sees it shifts him from Italian to German to English armies; his patron, the Count, is taken by the Germans and liberated and both older man and younger survive the changing occupation-first German, then British. There's international imbroglio of amatory involvements. Angelo marries Lucresia after she has given birth to a child by an English soldier, and later he brings back from the wars widowed Annunziata and her Polish child. It is a loosely constructed, good humored tale, of no profound importance. (Kirkus Reviews)

Angelo, a private in Mussolini's 'ever-glorious' Italian army, may possess the virtues of love and an engaging innocence but he lacks the gift of courage. However, due to circumstances beyond his control, he ends up fighting not only for Italy but also for the British and German armies. With his patron the Count, the beautiful Lucrezia, the charming Annunziata, and the delightful Major Telfer, Angelo's fellow characters are drawn with humour, insight and sympathy, making the book a wittily satirical comment on the grossness and waste of war. Eric Linklater, who served with the Black Watch in Italy in World War II, is one of Scotland's most distinguished writers. In Private Angelo he has written a book which demonstrates that honour is not solely the preserve of the brave.

General

Imprint:	Canongate Books Ltd
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	Canongate Classics, 13
Release date:	May 1999
First published:	April 1999
Authors:	Eric Linklater
Introduction by:	Magnus Linklater
Dimensions:	197 x 128 x 17mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - B-format
Pages:	272
Edition:	Main
ISBN-13:	978-0-86241-376-7
Categories:	Books > Fiction > General & literary fiction > Modern fiction Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > War fiction > Second World War fiction
LSN:	0-86241-376-1
Barcode:	9780862413767

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