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mavro_c's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
joshtenet's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
spaffrackett's review against another edition
3.0
Lurid fact / fiction memoir straddling Fascism, Nazism and a dying European aristocracy. Malaparte portrays himself witness to far more European tragedy within WW2 than seems possible.
444ndromeda's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
sloatsj's review against another edition
5.0
[bc:Kaputt|138428|Kaputt|Curzio Malaparte|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347563118s/138428.jpg|133434] I love not knowing what to expect from a book, not knowing the core setting or plot, or if there is one, not knowing anyone who’s read it, and having had no one either recommend it or wag a warning finger against it. It’s marvelous to enter a book unbiased.
I knew Kaputt was about WWII, and took a cue from the repugnant cover image, the red-fleshy gleam of fake teeth and gums. At least their tidiness makes one assume they’re fake. I say the image is “repugnant” but I love the cover. Beaming among the clutter on my desk at work, those teeth revolted a number of colleagues.
What struck me first about Kaputt was the surreal element, which was a surprise. The episodic format - part reportage, part fiction, part surreal imagining - was deeply engaging. Most sections use an animal motif, to great effect. I won’t forget the ghostly horses, the war dogs, and the reindeer, whose toes click like castanets when they run, “an interminable procession of Andalusian dancers marching within the glinting sheath of the frozen nocturnal sun.”
Malaparte was an Italian journalist dispatched in an official capacity to the various Axis fronts, where he hobnobbed with war criminals and sour military men, European aristocracy, Jews, sex slaves, destitute Neapolitans, and soldiers who exercise a small gesture of defiance by shouting “Ein Liter!” rather than “Heil Hitler.” Malaparte, who loved the ‘manliness’ of war, began Kaputt thinking Germany would win, the editor tells us, and went back to doctor the text when it appeared that might not happen.
The book has macabre scenes, and the air is sinister and ominous, but while the narrator comes off as being slightly sleazy, he’s not unlikeable. I loved his imagination. And I enjoyed the writing itself greatly, elegant and evocative.
“There was something of Dürer in the purely Gothic care for detail that at once caught the eye, as if the artist’s burin had lingered for a moment on the gaping jaws of a dead horse, on a wounded man crawling through the undergrowth, or over there, on a soldier leaning against a tree trunk, his hand held open above his forehead to shade his eyes against the glare of the sun. The raucous voices, the neighing, the occasional, sharp rifle shots, the harsh creaking of caterpillars seemed to have been engraved by Dürer on the clear cold air of that autumn morning.
“General von Schobert was smiling. The shadow of death was already hovering over him -- an extremely light shadow like a spider-web; and no doubt he felt that shadow weighing on his brow.”
I knew Kaputt was about WWII, and took a cue from the repugnant cover image, the red-fleshy gleam of fake teeth and gums. At least their tidiness makes one assume they’re fake. I say the image is “repugnant” but I love the cover. Beaming among the clutter on my desk at work, those teeth revolted a number of colleagues.
What struck me first about Kaputt was the surreal element, which was a surprise. The episodic format - part reportage, part fiction, part surreal imagining - was deeply engaging. Most sections use an animal motif, to great effect. I won’t forget the ghostly horses, the war dogs, and the reindeer, whose toes click like castanets when they run, “an interminable procession of Andalusian dancers marching within the glinting sheath of the frozen nocturnal sun.”
Malaparte was an Italian journalist dispatched in an official capacity to the various Axis fronts, where he hobnobbed with war criminals and sour military men, European aristocracy, Jews, sex slaves, destitute Neapolitans, and soldiers who exercise a small gesture of defiance by shouting “Ein Liter!” rather than “Heil Hitler.” Malaparte, who loved the ‘manliness’ of war, began Kaputt thinking Germany would win, the editor tells us, and went back to doctor the text when it appeared that might not happen.
The book has macabre scenes, and the air is sinister and ominous, but while the narrator comes off as being slightly sleazy, he’s not unlikeable. I loved his imagination. And I enjoyed the writing itself greatly, elegant and evocative.
“There was something of Dürer in the purely Gothic care for detail that at once caught the eye, as if the artist’s burin had lingered for a moment on the gaping jaws of a dead horse, on a wounded man crawling through the undergrowth, or over there, on a soldier leaning against a tree trunk, his hand held open above his forehead to shade his eyes against the glare of the sun. The raucous voices, the neighing, the occasional, sharp rifle shots, the harsh creaking of caterpillars seemed to have been engraved by Dürer on the clear cold air of that autumn morning.
“General von Schobert was smiling. The shadow of death was already hovering over him -- an extremely light shadow like a spider-web; and no doubt he felt that shadow weighing on his brow.”
vudemn's review against another edition
5.0
Nestrpljivost je gušila vazduh, a kad su sve zvanice pristigle, poručio sam da unesu hranu.
Šest poklopljenih tanjira se našlo na stolu, i na moju komandu su sklonjeni poklopci, zvuk čangrljanja se mešao sa uzdasima i uzvicima ljudi.
"Kao što vidite, večeras imamo konjsko, pacovsko, pseće meso, glavu soba i jednu majušnu muvu.
Da, pretpostavljam da je barem jedna od grofica prozrela moju nameru, nisam ovde da vam napunim stomake jelom, već pričom o serviranom jelu.
Malaparte je u pitanju, svakako, a to može prepoznati svako ko ga je čitao, i samo ovlaš bacio pogled na ove tanjire.
Svoju knjigu Kaputt je podelio na šest celina gde svaka ima naslov ovih životinja, koje na sarkastičan i sirov način prikazuju događaje koji ga prate u određenim trenucima tokom rata. Kao što znate, Malaparte je bio ratni dopisnik, novinar, pesnik... proteran iz Italije od strane Musolinija, a pre toga proveo pet godina u zatvoru, Malaparte je WW2 proveo na različitim frontovima. Nije pravio razlike između prijatelja i neprijatelja, bio je kosmopolita.
Takođe nije nikome govorio direktno u lice ono što ne bi želeo da čuje, a to se već vidi u knjizi.
Naravno, znate i onu njegovu famoznu izjavu gde kaže da je Hitler žena.
Ali, da se bavimo malo knjigom, vidim da ste došli praznih želuca u iščekivanju obilnog ručka... pa umesto toga, Kaputt!
Malaparte ima višeslojnost u naraciji koja nije ni u jednom trenutku konfuzna, koja tako lagano plovi i uvodi čitaoca u svaki sloj finim prelazima, koji su predstavljeni uglavnom u vidu raznoraznih okupljanja aristokratije, koja je prožderavala najukusniju hranu dok je na nekoliko desetina metara dalje od njih umirala sirotinja. I tako nas Malaparte uvede u svoje priče, anegdote i šaljive upadice.
Nije predstavljena nijedna scena sa većih frontova- ovde je obilazio one manje, gradove kao što su Jaši, bogatije delove Varšave, Finsku i netaknute predele kojima vladaju sobovi i neukrotivi lososi.
Čak postoji i deo koji se fokusira na bombardovanje Beograda, gde se Malaparte našao u Pančevu, u ritu, i govori o italijanskom ministru, o njegovom psu Spinu, na tako topao način da osmeh ne može sići sa usana pri poslednjoj sceni kada se pas osvesti i shvati da se prasak iz puške unormalio i nije više uznemiravao svet... nego samo životinje, koje je on jurio."
"Ach so!" viknu jedna grofica, ispred koje je ležala tacna sa mrtvom muvom...
" Eto, baš bih napravio jedinu primedbu na početak poslednjeg poglavlja, gde se nižu događaji vezani za aristokratiju Rima, koji su potpuno bespotrebni, pogotovo onome koji ne zna o kojim se to ljudima radi. Ali sam kraj je fino odrađen, baš prikazuje Napulj na onaj način kojim se započinje "Koža", koju sam prvo čitao.
A sada, dragi moji, hoćemo li da prožderemo ove strvine ili ne?"
Šest poklopljenih tanjira se našlo na stolu, i na moju komandu su sklonjeni poklopci, zvuk čangrljanja se mešao sa uzdasima i uzvicima ljudi.
"Kao što vidite, večeras imamo konjsko, pacovsko, pseće meso, glavu soba i jednu majušnu muvu.
Da, pretpostavljam da je barem jedna od grofica prozrela moju nameru, nisam ovde da vam napunim stomake jelom, već pričom o serviranom jelu.
Malaparte je u pitanju, svakako, a to može prepoznati svako ko ga je čitao, i samo ovlaš bacio pogled na ove tanjire.
Svoju knjigu Kaputt je podelio na šest celina gde svaka ima naslov ovih životinja, koje na sarkastičan i sirov način prikazuju događaje koji ga prate u određenim trenucima tokom rata. Kao što znate, Malaparte je bio ratni dopisnik, novinar, pesnik... proteran iz Italije od strane Musolinija, a pre toga proveo pet godina u zatvoru, Malaparte je WW2 proveo na različitim frontovima. Nije pravio razlike između prijatelja i neprijatelja, bio je kosmopolita.
Takođe nije nikome govorio direktno u lice ono što ne bi želeo da čuje, a to se već vidi u knjizi.
Naravno, znate i onu njegovu famoznu izjavu gde kaže da je Hitler žena.
Ali, da se bavimo malo knjigom, vidim da ste došli praznih želuca u iščekivanju obilnog ručka... pa umesto toga, Kaputt!
Malaparte ima višeslojnost u naraciji koja nije ni u jednom trenutku konfuzna, koja tako lagano plovi i uvodi čitaoca u svaki sloj finim prelazima, koji su predstavljeni uglavnom u vidu raznoraznih okupljanja aristokratije, koja je prožderavala najukusniju hranu dok je na nekoliko desetina metara dalje od njih umirala sirotinja. I tako nas Malaparte uvede u svoje priče, anegdote i šaljive upadice.
Nije predstavljena nijedna scena sa većih frontova- ovde je obilazio one manje, gradove kao što su Jaši, bogatije delove Varšave, Finsku i netaknute predele kojima vladaju sobovi i neukrotivi lososi.
Čak postoji i deo koji se fokusira na bombardovanje Beograda, gde se Malaparte našao u Pančevu, u ritu, i govori o italijanskom ministru, o njegovom psu Spinu, na tako topao način da osmeh ne može sići sa usana pri poslednjoj sceni kada se pas osvesti i shvati da se prasak iz puške unormalio i nije više uznemiravao svet... nego samo životinje, koje je on jurio."
"Ach so!" viknu jedna grofica, ispred koje je ležala tacna sa mrtvom muvom...
" Eto, baš bih napravio jedinu primedbu na početak poslednjeg poglavlja, gde se nižu događaji vezani za aristokratiju Rima, koji su potpuno bespotrebni, pogotovo onome koji ne zna o kojim se to ljudima radi. Ali sam kraj je fino odrađen, baš prikazuje Napulj na onaj način kojim se započinje "Koža", koju sam prvo čitao.
A sada, dragi moji, hoćemo li da prožderemo ove strvine ili ne?"
masyessam's review against another edition
5.0
My favourite book, to me it's an excellent counterargument to our modern obsesssion with "authenticity". Anyone arguing over whether Malaparte embellished his story has been filtered by a novel written for greater people.
anti_formalist12's review against another edition
4.0
A complicated story of one man's journey through the most terrible wars in human history. And this book is largely about the author's experience (or his imagination.) Malaparte is a con-man of the highest order and there is absolutely no reason to think that this work would be as critical of the Nazis if they had won the war. All that being said, there are some real insights into many of the men and women of Europe during war. Just be sure to take Malaparte with a grain of salt, or a shaker full of salt. The striking imagery can be both beautiful and horrifying, speaking perhaps to what Malaparte thinks of war.
electricbrain's review against another edition
5.0
Viena stipriausių ir geriausių kada nors skaitytų knygų.
Meistriškas stilius ir puiki, malonumą dovanojanti proza, nuostabūs aprašymai, kurie prieš akis tuojau piešia vaizdus. Tiesa, ta kokybė kartais baugina, nes vaizdai, kuriuos priešia Malaparte, yra šiurpūs, makabriški, tragikomiški, žiaurūs ir nesuvokiami.
Knyga sudaryta iš daug trumpų istorijų, kurios visaip persipina viena su kita: kažkas pasakojama prie stalo, vėliau čia įvyksta jau nauja istorija... Yra silpnesnių, yra neįtikėtinai gerų, pribloškiančių ir pritrenkiančių, įstringančių atmintyje, persekiojančių daug valandų paskaičius.
Tiesa, vietomis tos istorijos yra šiek tiek dirbtinės – atrodo, kad kai kurios scenos, personažai, įtupdyti tik tam, kad autorius galėtų papasakoti tai, ką nori papasakoti. Taip pat vaizdiniuose yra labai daug pasikartojimo, dėmesio tam tikroms detalėms, bet ne kitoms. Pavyzdžiui, visi jo žmonės prakaituoti – kažkur tas prakaitas turi būti paminėtas. Gal tame yra kokia gudri prasmė, bet aš jos neįžvelgiau. Taip pat yra epizodų, kurie sunkūs, painūs ir mažai įtraukia, dėl ko pirmiausia norėjau knygą mesti skaityti, nusivylusi ja. Bet visa laimė, kad nemečiau, o kiti knygos epizodai yra tokie geri, kad bendras įspūdis vis tiek lieka pats geriausias.
Tai nėra knyga kuri gali nuoširdžiai patikti, nes labai daug kas joje yra tiesiog siaubinga, tačiau tai neabejotinai labai gera knyga, kurią, sakyčiau, reikėtų paskaityti kiekvienam žmogui.
Joks filmas, jokia knyga, joks muziejus man nedovanojo tokio karo pajautimo, kokį suteikė ši knyga ir jau žinau, kad būtinai skaitysiu ir kitas Malaparte knygas.
Meistriškas stilius ir puiki, malonumą dovanojanti proza, nuostabūs aprašymai, kurie prieš akis tuojau piešia vaizdus. Tiesa, ta kokybė kartais baugina, nes vaizdai, kuriuos priešia Malaparte, yra šiurpūs, makabriški, tragikomiški, žiaurūs ir nesuvokiami.
Knyga sudaryta iš daug trumpų istorijų, kurios visaip persipina viena su kita: kažkas pasakojama prie stalo, vėliau čia įvyksta jau nauja istorija... Yra silpnesnių, yra neįtikėtinai gerų, pribloškiančių ir pritrenkiančių, įstringančių atmintyje, persekiojančių daug valandų paskaičius.
Tiesa, vietomis tos istorijos yra šiek tiek dirbtinės – atrodo, kad kai kurios scenos, personažai, įtupdyti tik tam, kad autorius galėtų papasakoti tai, ką nori papasakoti. Taip pat vaizdiniuose yra labai daug pasikartojimo, dėmesio tam tikroms detalėms, bet ne kitoms. Pavyzdžiui, visi jo žmonės prakaituoti – kažkur tas prakaitas turi būti paminėtas. Gal tame yra kokia gudri prasmė, bet aš jos neįžvelgiau. Taip pat yra epizodų, kurie sunkūs, painūs ir mažai įtraukia, dėl ko pirmiausia norėjau knygą mesti skaityti, nusivylusi ja. Bet visa laimė, kad nemečiau, o kiti knygos epizodai yra tokie geri, kad bendras įspūdis vis tiek lieka pats geriausias.
Tai nėra knyga kuri gali nuoširdžiai patikti, nes labai daug kas joje yra tiesiog siaubinga, tačiau tai neabejotinai labai gera knyga, kurią, sakyčiau, reikėtų paskaityti kiekvienam žmogui.
Joks filmas, jokia knyga, joks muziejus man nedovanojo tokio karo pajautimo, kokį suteikė ši knyga ir jau žinau, kad būtinai skaitysiu ir kitas Malaparte knygas.