Family and Borghesia

Two novellas about domestic life, isolation, and the passing of time by one of the finest Italian writers of the twentieth century.

Family and Borghesia presents two captivating stories that delve into the intricacies of human connection and the inexorable passage of time.

In Family, Carmine, an architect, and Ivana, a translator, once shared a life together and even had a child. Yet, after the child’s tragic death, their relationship crumbled, leading Carmine to marry Ninetta. Together, Carmine and Ninetta have a child, Dod, whom Carmine views as somewhat uninspired. Despite this, Carmine continues to spend every evening with Ivana, with no objections from Ninetta. Initially comic, this novella gradually darkens, exploring how time moves forward, lives continue, and people linger around missed opportunities, only creating more regrets until time ultimately runs out.

Borghesia revolves around a widow who continuously acquires and loses Siamese cats, hoping they will alleviate her loneliness. This story also examines the emotional entanglements and domestic complexities that emerged with the loosening social norms of the 1970s. One character reflects on the inevitabilities of life, pondering, "She remembered saying that there were three things in life you should always refuse—hypocrisy, resignation, and unhappiness. But it was impossible to shield yourself from those three things. Life was full of them and there was no holding them back."