M: Son of the Century: A Novel
An epic historical novel that traces Mussolini’s rise through documentary material and fictional imagination. Postwar resentment, violence, newspapers, and crowd psychology converge as fascism turns into political reality.
Work Information
Through the fatigue of democracy, the language of dictatorship enters the crowd.
Layering fragments that evoke newspapers, speeches, and official reports, the novel portrays Mussolini not as a distant monster but as a political actor manipulating the language and desires of his age. The tension of moving toward a known historical outcome runs throughout.
Review Summaries
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Readers value the documentary force and narrative drive. Its scale and political darkness demand stamina, but the book is powerful in making the rise of power feel immediate.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Harper
- Published
- 2022-04-05
- Pages
- 784 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 15.24 x 4.62 x 22.86 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9780062956118
- ISBN-10
- 0062956116
- Price
- 7602 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Mystery & Thrillers/Thrillers/Psychological & Suspense
Now a major TV series from acclaimed filmmaker Joe Wright, starring Luca Marinelli — streaming on MUBI. “This relentless chronicle of authoritarianism emboldened and empowered offers a painful and valuable reminder that democracy is fragile, never to be taken for granted and always in need of committed defense.” — Washington Post The massive international bestseller—an epic historical novel that chronicles the birth and rise of fascism in Italy, witnessed through the eyes of its founder, the terrifyingly charismatic figure who would become one of the most notorious dictators of the twentieth century, Benito Mussolini. It is 1919, and the Great War that has ravaged Europe is over. In Italy, the people are exhausted. Tired of the political class. Tired of vague promises, inept moderates, and the agonizing machinations of a democracy that has failed ordinary citizens. While elite leaders have sat idly by, achieving nothing, one outsider—the director of a small opposition newspaper and a tireless political agitator—is electrifying the masses, promising hope for a demoralized nation hungry for change. A former socialist leader ousted by his own party, he is a drifter who knows what it is to feel lost. His voice speaks for the misfits and the outcasts; he is a protector of those who are forgotten. He is Benito Mussolini. And soon Italy—and the world—will be forever remade. In M: Son of the Century, Antonio Scurati tells the story of fascism from within the mind of its founder, the man known to his followers as Il Duce. Steeped in historical detail and interspersed with period documents and sources, this masterful saga explores the seductive power of nationalism and idolatry, revealing how authoritarianism took hold and a nation bent to the will of one ruthless strongman. Provocative and resonant, M is a chilling reminder that the past is never gone, and that it holds urgent lessons for us today.
Antonio Scurati was born in Naples in 1969 and lives in Milan. He is a Professor of Comparative Literature and Creative writing at the IULM University in Milan and a columnist for Corriere della Sera . He is the author of various novels which have won an array of literary prizes in Italy, and M: Son of the Century is the first to be made available in English. The first in a series of novels about Mussolini and the rise of fascism, it was the winner of the 2019 Strega award and has been translated into forty languages. Anne Milano Appel , PhD, has translated works by a number of leading Italian authors for a variety of US and UK publishers. Her awards include the Italian Prose in Translation Award, the John Florio Prize for Italian Translation, and the Northern California Book Award for Translation.
Reviews
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For history buffs and those interested to know more about the rise of Fascism since the beginning of the 20th Century. Not a history book as such but what is known today as 'narrative non-fiction'. A good but challenging read - it's rather long and peppered with names of towns, and regions, (you'll need a map!) as well as people (all Italian of course!). Very informative and good to read alongside the series currently on TV because there is detail here that the TV adaptation leaves out)
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Incredibly fascinating. The author tries to really understand the dynamics that led to the rise of fascism in Italy. In other words he’s not interested in the caricatures that define and impoverish current public discourse. Nor is he an apologist for any form of political extremism. The result is sophisticated and informative. The amount of detail can at times be overwhelming. The narrative covers only a small amount of time and does not cover the years in which the party was in power. There are sequels waiting to be translated. So the story is incomplete. But the beginning is well worth it.
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Bella versione di questo libro. Penso che valorizza un po’ più la copertina rilegata.
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Very interesting. History told in a very entertaining way.
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The foundation and growth of the Italian Fascist party explained by its main characters and its own words. A diary of their petty thoughts and actions.