Raffaele La Capria
Encyclopedia
Raffaele La Capria is an Italian
writer, known especially for the three novels which were collected as Tre romanzi di una giornata.
, where he was to spend the formative years of his life. There he graduated in law, before staying in France, England and the United States and then settling in Rome
. He contributed to the cultural pages of the Corriere della Sera
and was co-director of the literary journal Nuovi Argomenti
. A particular interest was English poetry of the 1930s: as well as writing numerous articles he translated works including T. S. Eliot
’s Four Quartets
. In the 1950s he wrote and produced a number of radio programmes for RAI
on foreign contemporary drama. In 1957 he was invited to participate in the International Seminar of Literature at Harvard University
. In 1961 his novel Ferito a morte won the prestigious Premio Strega.
He worked as co-scriptwriter on a number of Francesco Rosi
’s films, including Le mani sulla città (1963), Uomini contro (1970) and Cristo si è fermato a Eboli
(1979). In September 2001 he received a Premio Campiello
lifetime achievement award and in 2005 L'estro quotidiano was selected as the winner of the Viareggio Prize
for fiction.
He published his first novel, Un giorno d'impazienza, in 1952. The second, and best-known novel, Ferito a morte, came out nearly ten years later in 1961. In 1982 the three Neapolitan novels Un giorno d'impazienza, Ferito a morte and Amore e psiche (1973) were re-issued as Tre romanzi di una giornata.
His short stories include La neve del Vesuvio and the collection Fiori giapponesi (1979). His work as an essayist is represented by False partenze (1964), Il sentimento della letteratura (1974) and La mosca e la bottiglia (1996). An autobiography, Cinquant'anni di false partenze, was published in 1964.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
writer, known especially for the three novels which were collected as Tre romanzi di una giornata.
Biography
La Capria was born in NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, where he was to spend the formative years of his life. There he graduated in law, before staying in France, England and the United States and then settling in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He contributed to the cultural pages of the Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
and was co-director of the literary journal Nuovi Argomenti
Nuovi Argomenti
Nuovi Argomenti is an influential Italian literary magazine which was founded in 1953 by Alberto Carrocci and Alberto Moravia in Rome; soon they were joined by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Following the deaths of Pasolini and Carrocci they were replaced by Attilio Bertolucci and Enzo Siciliano...
. A particular interest was English poetry of the 1930s: as well as writing numerous articles he translated works including T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
’s Four Quartets
Four Quartets
Four Quartets is a set of four poems written by T. S. Eliot that were published individually over a six-year period. The first poem, "Burnt Norton", was written and published with a collection of his early works following the production of Eliot's play Murder in the Cathedral...
. In the 1950s he wrote and produced a number of radio programmes for RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
on foreign contemporary drama. In 1957 he was invited to participate in the International Seminar of Literature at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. In 1961 his novel Ferito a morte won the prestigious Premio Strega.
He worked as co-scriptwriter on a number of Francesco Rosi
Francesco Rosi
Francesco Rosi is an Italian film director. He is the father of actress Carolina Rosi.-Biography:After studying Law, but hoping to study film, Rosi entered the industry as an assistant to Luchino Visconti on La Terra trema...
’s films, including Le mani sulla città (1963), Uomini contro (1970) and Cristo si è fermato a Eboli
Cristo si è fermato a Eboli
Christ Stopped at Eboli is a memoir by Carlo Levi, published in 1945, giving an account of his exile from 1935-1936 to Grassano and Aliano, remote towns in southern Italy, in the region of Lucania which is known today as Basilicata...
(1979). In September 2001 he received a Premio Campiello
Premio Campiello
The Premio Campiello is an annual Italian literary prize.A Jury of Literary Experts identifies books published during the year and, in a public hearing, selects five of those as finalists. These books are called il Premio Selezione Campiello...
lifetime achievement award and in 2005 L'estro quotidiano was selected as the winner of the Viareggio Prize
Viareggio Prize
The Viareggio Literary Prize is a prestigious Italian literary award, whose first edition was in 1930, and is named after the Tuscan city of Viareggio...
for fiction.
Works
La Capria has published more than twenty books to date.He published his first novel, Un giorno d'impazienza, in 1952. The second, and best-known novel, Ferito a morte, came out nearly ten years later in 1961. In 1982 the three Neapolitan novels Un giorno d'impazienza, Ferito a morte and Amore e psiche (1973) were re-issued as Tre romanzi di una giornata.
His short stories include La neve del Vesuvio and the collection Fiori giapponesi (1979). His work as an essayist is represented by False partenze (1964), Il sentimento della letteratura (1974) and La mosca e la bottiglia (1996). An autobiography, Cinquant'anni di false partenze, was published in 1964.