De Sicilia a Piamonte con Garibaldi

https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B0BQJNNXKV

Segundo en la Clasifica Amazon mi novela Italiana "De Sicilia a Piamonte con Garibaldi".

La novela es la historia real de un héroe Garibaldi, injustamente olvidado, que se llamaba Gaspare Nicolosi de Mazara del Vallo. Su historia me la contó su sobrina de línea, Silvia Nicolosi, cuando tenía noventa años. A continuación se muestra el prefacio de la profesora Silvia Nicolosi Dessy Deliperi a la primera edición de 2012.

"Mi abuelo Gaspare fue un hombre y soldado estimado y muy honrado. Lamentablemente murió muy joven, en 1904, a causa de un infarto y la abuela Luigia, a quien tuve tiempo de conocer, junto con mi tía materna más joven, murieron con pocos días de diferencia, arrasadas por esa espantosa enfermedad mortal. que causó más muertes en Europa que la guerra.La historia de los complots contra mi abuelo fue inventada deliberadamente y con su prosa agradable y fluida Basile logró hacerla muy verosímil. Concluyo diciendo que Basile y yo no pretendemos ser historiadores, sino sólo demostrar que el movimiento del Resurgimiento se sintió en muchas familias, que supieron soportar las muertes con dignidad. En definitiva, creemos que nuestra historia es un pequeño trozo que debe insertarse, con razón, en el gran mosaico glorioso de la muy dolorosa historia de nuestra Italia. Cumplí 100 años hace unos días y esto me hace perdonar la escasez e incertidumbre a la hora de escribir. ¡¡¡Un profesor de literatura entonces!!! Disculpe, pero la naturaleza es implacable". Cagliari, 19 de abril de 2012 Silvia Nicolosi Dessy Deliperi

Espero un dia que mi novela pueda ver la luz en idioma castellano. Por el momento es disponible en su version Italiana en Amazon a través del siguiente enlace: 

https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B0BQJNNXKV

In memory of the victims of the twin towers

 

The Twin  Lovers

 

I used to greet you

At ten to nine

 

We left each other

Rightly half way

Between the twin towers

 

We both work

At the 87.th floor

You in the norther

Me in the souther

 

Ten minutes

For the lift

To get me up

And see you again

Through the windows

Of the twin towers

 

But on that 9/11

I had  to wait

Twenty minutes,

Twenty long  horrible

Bloody minutes

Watching the smoke,

The flames,

The hell!

 

And now we rejoined

For ever

As powder and ashes

In  God’s Heaven!

                                                                                                         

La Terza via -11

 

Dopo pranzo mi portò nel laboratorio dove confezionava i suoi articoli di pelletteria. Ne aveva parecchi; tutti pezzi unici; avevano un non so di che di robusto, di antico e di artistico allo stesso tempo; pur nella loro estrema essenzialità. Si mise a riempire dei borsoni.

«Domani devo esporre alla Festa de Noantri! Mi fai compagnia? Così mi aiuti anche a portare la merce. Sabato sarò da solo!»

«Simona non viene con te?»

«Magari la domenica. Il sabato lei lavora, soprattutto in questo periodo.»

«Pensi che a Simona faccia piacere?»

«Se sa che mi aiuti alla festa, figurati! Lei è molto protettiva; si sentirebbe sicuramente più tranquilla!» disse con entusiasmo, immaginando dalla mia domanda che io volessi accettare la sua proposta. In effetti l’idea non mi dispiaceva. Fra i miei progetti mai realizzati c’era stato , un tempo, quello di vendere per strada degli oggetti confezionati da me. Come faceva Michele, senza impegno, giusto per campare la giornata. Magari io avevo pensato a dei braccialetti, degli anellini o delle collanine in metallo. Però era l’artigianato in generale che mi piaceva. Mia nonna materna raccontava sempre, con orgoglio e vanto,  di avere ritrovato in un ripostiglio, i giocattoli in legno che mi ero costruito da me, un’estate che avevo trascorso a casa sua.

https://www.hoepli.it/libro/la-terza-via-un-uomo-un-viaggio-tre-strade/9788833812366.html?

 

Engineer's delight

"It is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a plan on paper. Then it moves to realization in stone or metal or energy. Then it brings jobs and homes to men. Then it elevates the standards of living and adds to the comforts of life. That is the engineer's high privilege.

The great liability of the engineer compared to men of other professions is that his works are out in the open where all can see them. His acts, step by step, are in hard substance. He cannot bury his mistakes in the grave like the doctors. He cannot argue them into thin air or blame the judge like the lawyers. He cannot, like the architects, cover his failures with trees and vines. He cannot, like the politicians, screen his shortcomings by blaming his opponents and hope the people will forget. The engineer simply cannot deny he did it. If his works do not work, he is damned...

On the other hand, unlike the doctor his is not a life among the weak. Unlike the soldier, destruction is not his purpose. Unlike the lawyer, quarrels are not his daily bread. To the engineer falls the job of clothing the bare bones of science with life, comfort, and hope. No doubt as years go by the people forget which engineer did it, even if they ever knew. Or some politician puts hs name on it. Or they credit it to some promoter who used other people's money . . . But the engineer himself looks back at the the unending stream of goodness which flows from his successes with satisfactions that few professions may know. And the verdict of his fellow professionals is all the accolade he wants."

A good book is for ever

Summer is almost gone. We're back at school (at least in the boreal emisphere). 

 Generally I prefer reading than writing, and so especially in the summer. 

When I don't find good new books I go back to classic books. This summer I have read, between others, Jack London's "The call of the wild".

 It's the story of Buck, a half breed dog, who by mean of a servant's treachery, is moved from his sunkissed masterhouse in Santa Monica to the icecold regions of the northlands, following the madness gold rush in the end of the XIX century. 

So Buck is thrown from the leisure of his south life to the fighting hard life of the freezy north. 

And it's a daily struggle for life. Buck has to fight against men, for they need led's dogs blindly devoted to their hard task, strong and obedient; and he has also to fight against the other dogs, for the struggle of the leadership is a natural, instinctual must in a  harnessed  sled score and even out of those laces. 

Memorable are the pages on which London describes the duel and the rivalcy between Buck and Spitz the two dogs who want the supremacy over the other huskies. The story represents a great metaphore of human life and the struggle of the man against the elements, the savage habitat, the animals and the other men in order to survive. 

The same daily struggle we assist nowdays, in the war time, as in peace time; workers against capitalists; men against women; good against evil; governements against financial powers all over the world: the eternal fight for primacy, for surviving. At last Buck, once rent all the ties with his masters, joins the wolves in the forest: and he's back at his natural feature, his real dimension. The call of the wild has won over all.

 I think a good book is a good friend for ever.

The Mysteroius Island

I'm a strong reader, before being an impassionate writer. I often go back to classic books!

At the present moment I'm reading Jules Verne's "The mysterious island". Verne is one of my favourite writers: in his books I find suspence, adventure, technologie and good sentiments. His heroes are alaways right, intrepid, loyal, brave! While reading his books I feel like becoming a young boy again!

I think his novels are timeless and never will be forgotten, notwithstanding they have been written more than a century ago!

The book tells the adventures of five Americans on an uncharted island in the Pacific Ocean. The story begins during the American Civil War.  As famine and death ravage the city, five northern prisoners of war decide to escape by the unusual means of hijacking a balloon. The escapees are Cyrus Harding ; his black friend Neb  a former slave who had been freed; the sailor named Pencroft; his protectif Herbert  a young boy whom Pencroff raises as his own after the death of his father (Pencroff's former captain); and the reporter Gideon Spilett. The company is completed by Cyrus' dog "Top".
Jupiter, an orang outang, will join the sextet later on, in the middlo of the story.
I'm not telling you more, in order not to split up with the fairly surprises to be found if you go through the end of the story.

Every one has got a flag

And  I remind

those songs

talking of peace

talking of love.

Today I remind them

listening to the radio.

I hear from the news

 that after decades

ball cannons keep flying

and men searching  command

and people keep dying.

But now I don't blame God anymore

for the man's thirst of power

for his greedness of money.

Every one has got a flag of glory

to cover the shame of death

and  make his deads

a right.

2013 Ignazio Salvatore Basile for the deads of Syria and of all the wars

5 Spanish Songs Kids Should Know

There are a wide variety of methods for teaching children to speak a second language, but classic children’s songs in the chosen tongue tend to feature prominently in the curriculum of most. Whether you’re fortunate enough to have a nanny or childcare provider that’s fluent in Spanish and can teach your children these songs, or you’re learning them yourself in order to pass them along, here are five of the classic Spanish-language children’s songs that your kids should know.
1. Los Colores (Colors in Spanish)
Verde, verde son los arbolitos,
verde, verde sus hojitas son.
Por eso yo quiero todo lo que es verde, verde, verde, verde es mi color.
Amarillo es el color del trigo,
amarillo mis patitos son.
Por eso yo quiero todo lo amarillo, como el tibio rayito de sol.
Rosa, rosa son todas mis cosas,
rosa, rosa mis vestidos son.
Por eso yo quiero todo lo que es rosa, como rama de durazno en flor.
Rojo, rojo es mi sombrerito,
rojo, rojo el botón en flor.
Por eso yo quiero todo lo que es rojo, rojo, rojo, es mi corazón.
El celeste es el color del cielo,
celestitos tus ojitos son,
Por eso yo quiero todo lo celeste, por que es el color de la ilusión.
Blanca, blanca es la nube viajera,
blancos, blancos mis dientitos son.
Por eso yo quiero todo lo que es blanco, como suave copo de algodón.
2. Los Pollitos Dicen (The Little Chicks Say)
Los pollitos dicen pío, pío, pío
cuando tienen hambre, cuando tienen frío.
La gallina busca el maíz y el trigo
Les da la comida y les presta abrigo.
Bajo sus dos alas, acurrucaditos,
hasta el otro dia
duérmen los pollitos.
3. Columbian Happy Birthday Song
cumpleaños feliz
te deseamos a ti
que los cumplas feliz (felices)
cumpleaños feliz.
Que los cumpla feliz,
que los vuelva a cumplir,
que los siga cumpliendo,
Hasta el año 3000.
4. Dos Elefantes (Spanish Counting Song)
Un elefante se balanceaba
sobre la tela de una araña,
como veía que resistía
fue a llamar a otro elefante.
Dos elefantes se balanceaban,
sobre la tela de una araña,
como veían que resistía
fueron a llamar a otro elefante.
Tres elefantes…
Cuatro elefantes…
5. Pin Pon (Mexican Action Song)
Pin Pon es un muñeco
muy guapo de cartón,
se lava su carita
con agua y con jabón
Se desenreda el pelo
con peine de marfil,
y aunque se da estirones
no llora ni hace así.
Cuando le dan la sopa
no ensucia el delantal
pues come con cuidado
parece un colegial
Apenas las estrellas
comienzan a salir
Pin Pon se va a la cama
y se acuesta a dormir
Pin Pon dame la mano
con un fuerte apretón,
pues quiero ser tu amigo
Pin Pon Pin Pon Pin Pon
PIN-PON
These are just a sampling of the most popular traditional Spanish-language children’s songs; there are a treasure trove of additional songs to be found. Daycare centers and preschools with a strong Spanish program can help your children learn even more of these great ditties, which teach basic counting, color recognition, and celebrate milestones, all while increasing little ones’ grasp of a second language.

P.S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by Paul Taylor. I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information:

 http://www.babysittingjobs.com/blog/5-spanish-songs-kids-should-know/

The life of Giuseppe Garibaldi - Fourth Part

At the time Garibaldi was born (we are in the first decade of 1800 ) the  italien peninsula was split under a multitude of small independent states.  A strong national sentiment lived  nevertheless  in the Italian's souls.

Some insurrectional and republican movements started in 1820 up to 1831. Garibaldi, like  mostly of his  génération, had built up the  conscience of a  national unity, ground since the split of the   Roman Empire.

For Garibaldi, the Mazzini's thèses to  unify Italy   (Mazzini was, as matter of fact, the other great Joseph of the italian risorgimental épopée),  look like the  directe conséquence of  Barrault's ideas, initial moment of the  rédemption of all reprimed  people.

This last voyage changes Garibaldi's life; in his mémories, he writes:« Christophore Colomb didn't certainly feel pas as satisfactied  déscovering lAmérica as I felt finding someone who was engaged on the  rédemption of our  italic country».

The officiel historiography wants Giuseppe Garibaldi meeting Giuseppe Mazzini in 1833 à Marseille where he jointed The " Giovine Italia" (The Young Italy), the political secrèt  Mazzini 's association whose objectif was to transform Italy into a démocratique unitaire république, without the king of  Tourin, and without the Pope of  Rome, making the  etèrnal town the capital of the new republican state.

In his quality of mariner, Garibaldi must face five year military  service in the royal sardinian  navy; he joined on décembre 1833. Respecting the tradition, he adoptes as nick name Cléombrote, greek  héro from  Sparte.

 Within his friends Edoardo Mutru and Marco Pes, he tries to make some  prosélytist for the cause, risking on the front of the police. As matter of fact the three friends  are foresigned to the police by whom they are surveilled ; Mutru and Garibaldi are moved on the ship Comte de Geneys, the 3rd of  fébruary; the ship is on the edge to   départ with destination Brésil.

In order to understand these  évents, we need to remind that   Mazzini and the Jeune Italie, were controled by the king of Sardinia and by his own governement, because of their républicain ideas.

Nevertheless Garibaldi, for the sake of  the  liberty of his  people, will renounce  the républicain idéals, becoming the king of  Sardinia's friend and of his premier count Camile de Cavour, the others great  autors  of the italien Unification with Mazzini and our héro Garibaldi. 

...to be continued...

Searching for a song

James McKinley jr, in today's NYTimes, underlines the lackness of an anthem for the OccupyWallStreet's people, today assembled at Zuccotti Park, Manhattan.
The songwriter Mr Morello has tried to propose Woody Guthrie's songs and himself's compositions but still the Movement needs a very personal anthem to be played as leading song for the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the twenties.
I hope they will find a scale pop composer for writing a good text and a proper music, but if they don't I suggest them to adopt the Bob Dylan's "The times are a'changing".

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/arts/music/occupy-wall-street-protest-lacks-an-anthem.html?_r=1