Reading

Escaping my little spot in Italy for the seasonal silliness I found myself in a not unpleasant little village in the English lake district.  There wasn’t much to do in this little village, especially when the weather lives up to its British billing.  One evening one of my very kind hosts passed a book on to me saying that I might be interested in reading about the main character’s struggle with learning Italian.  The book was "The Broker" by John Grisham and the perfect kind of throw away reading for my Christmas food and booze addled mind.  The main character is the disgraced broker of the title who for various reasons gets given a new identity by the US government and hidden in Italy where no one will find him until the government wants them to.   Wanting a place in Italy where no one would think of looking naturally the Americans dump our hero in Treviso.  I always find it fun to read novels or see films in places that I’ve been to – to read or watch characters walking streets that you know. 

Mr Grisham did a pretty good job of describing the city (although I made small allowances for topographical errors in service to the plot.)  It was when it came to describing the people and culture  that it became a bit frustrating – out came the old clichés of well dressed, beautiful etc etc that I wondered if the writer was being a little superficial or dare I say even a wee bit lazy.  To make matters even harder for himself Grisham writes in an Italian character whose job it is to help the hero’s transition into the country.  If you’re going to write a character from another culture I reckon you need to be damn confident that you know your stuff.  Therefore it’s an unforgivable error was that neither our hero nor his Italian fix it man comment on or try spritz!  I mean jeez John, that’s intro to the Veneto 101.

The more books and articles I read about this place. that I know so well, the more I notice inaccuracies and the more frustrated I get with writers glib pronouncements.  Reading about Venice is even more frustrating.  It seems as if every writer needs to make some sort of preamble to their piece which goes along the lines of – Venice is more than San Marco, over priced pizza and made in China glass, step away from the tourist path and you will see the real Venice – the subtext being I know the real Venice and I may point you in the few directions but you as a mere tourist will never really see the real Venice.  Then proceed to offer the same “non package tourist tips” – Castello is where the real Venetians are, have a drink in Dorsoduro etc etc.  Except this is no more the real Venice than a drink in Harry’s bar.  I know writers need to sell themselves and thus portray themselves as some kind of expert but I wish for once someone would say something like “I’m no experts but this is what I liked about the place and perhaps it may inspire you to explore a bit.

I have begun to wonder if anyone can write about a place without being a native or at least living and breathing the place.  As much as I love Venice, made an attempt to learn it I would never have the arrogance to say I know what makes Venice tick – that would take years of study.  There is a lot to be said say for fresh eyes and new perspective etc etc, it’s just that increasingly I’m losing patience with lazy writing and prefer to read accounts from people who have studied or lived the place.  I wonder what Italians think of all these interpretations of their country, city and culture – I hope they can indulge me just a little.