Cina addio e altri racconti   di Nico Bignami /  Edarc Edizioni – Bagno a Ripoli

Review by Antoinette Martella

General review:

Based on his own many years of experience of life in China, Europe and North America, Nico Bignami brings us, in a very personal way, into a world filled with characters who are caught in a web of their environment and culture. Cina  addio e altri racconti is a collection of narratives which range from the reflective to the mythological. The readings are extraordinary in that the author has never lost his sense of wonder and marvel at the complexity and depth of human experience and insight. His characters, whether in China or elsewhere are both exotic and familiar. The author's own voice and personality are an integral part of the seduction of his tales.

Following are some reviews of various stories from the collection.

 Beijing Literature

This deals with the issue of belonging. Even though Nico feels himself Chinese, he is not accepted as such. This piece is more of an observation than a depiction of how this affects him. The tone is detached but conveys wonder at the way the Chinese view outsiders.

 Carbone

This tale depicts how coal becomes an obsession. It is a disturbing choice that one would choose to feed oneself on coal. What is the symmbolic value of eating charcoal? Is it symbolic of the impossible; that is, to eat one's way to understanding a way of life? To ingest coal is to ingest the values and perspectives of others. This would be a life-changing experience. Why would one want so desperately to ingest the experiences of others? Is it to fill the void in one's own culture? To be dissatisfied with one's limited heritage?

 Cina addio

This is a descriptive and analytical personal guided tour through the areas loved not necessarily based on good experiences. A mix of experiences only serves to humanize Beijing. The question is, "What attracts us to a place?"

 Emigranti

This essay on immigrants gives specific examples of the successes and failures of those who choose to leave their native homeland for a variety of reasons.

 Il maoista is a sympathetic portrayal of a Maoist who is a taxi driver and his relationship with the rider as they inevitably move towards an accident, the result of too much emotion. The universal theme of nostalgia for times past is evoked. Was the past better or do we see it through the eyes of our youth which were vital and new?

 Il monaco shows the infinite complexity of others and our limited view in understanding them.

 Il nome del bambino is a curious and humorous view of a Chinese custom. A name signifies the traits or qualities of a person; the child will grow into the name given to him. Is this superstition or is there some truth to this? The theory is illustrated through various people he encounters and thus adds a human dimension to the theory.

 Lesbian Cafe 

Either the narrator misjudged Lorelei or the mores are such that lesbianism may be no more than an exploratory stage in one's sexual identity.

 Tempesta di sabbia

The sandstorm is treated literally and metaphorically. It is at once a natural force to be reckoned with, as are rainstorms or snowstorms in other clime, and a metaphor for the Chinese who, like grains of sand, retain their separateness and defences against pain and disillusionment. The provocative description of the sandstorm in its terrible beauty makes one want to experience it.

 Il maiale di Guido Fiorini is a humorous and touching account of an attempt to help a juvenile delinquent reform. Guido Fiorini is not judged and neither is his well-intentioned benefactor. We are left with a sense of destiny...that we may try to right the ills of society but we have to resign ourselves to the forces beyond our control. The narrator has a way of putting a character and situation in context through the succinct and well-chosen details of a happening.

 Il pianoforte elicits the mystery of musical genius and the soul which inhabits it and expresses itself through an instrument, in this case, a grand piano. An intriguing theory about material objects and their owners is proposed. The possibility is presented that our beliefs render life to the objects we use as instruments which take on our qualities and talents because we have transmitted and programmed them atomically. This notion is mingled with the human element of passing our heredity on to our children so that something of ourselves is kept alive through the magic of our gifts. But, ultimately, our children must detach to become themselves even if their talents are mediocre.

 La guerra dei frutti  is an allegory on mankind - its discords, pretentions and wars.

 Le orme

The narrator takes an ordinary occurrence, such as traceable footprints, and populates his story with the intrigue and mystery of those who make the footprints and leave hints of their passions and torments. He weaves his observations with his own life to understand not only those around him but his own inner drives. Who of us has not been intrigued by untold stories left by footprints or traces of some reality?

Lo scrittore

A disturbing commentary on publishing and distribution. As a reader, one does not often think about the mechanics of promotion. It is also a look at the insecurities and self-consciousness a writer must overcome to display his work to the public.

 Viaggio al nord

The trip is not only physical but also psychological. The new generation of retirees finds that designation repugnant and false. There is still exploration, experience and living to be done. There are new vistas and new people to investigate and savour. A journey alone is in itself rewarding. There are no compromises to be made. Yet, at some point, there is a yearning for the familiar, a return home to those who are important inhabitants of our everyday world and our constant. This trip is representative of our inner and outer odysseys; it will not be over until it is over and we will not slide gently into the night as long as daylight is still around the corner and beckoning us.

Antoinette Martella is a member of AICW. She lives in Montreal where she has taught English Literature and served as a Language Arts consultant for the former Baldwin-Cartier School Board.