About a month ago I read a book by Umberto Eco, that described one version of the events, the reason for the deformation of Mussolini’s face is that, after being executed, a woman came a shot him five times in the head, one for each of the children that she had lost in the war.
If you like conspiracy theories, in humorous, Italian way… I kind of enjoyed this book, although not his best.
I have most of Eco’s books (and have read them, too) could in fact be in one of his essays (or one of Brodsky’s), the story of the British officer was mentioned. Will have to check.
I think it’s more like a joke that needs explanation—in other words, a failed joke. “Upper middlebrow” always seemed to me like a shorthand way to describe people who try to punch above their weight class intellectually. Maybe I should just say it longhand from now on.
That’s all over Europe, as far north as you can go. Remember Breivik, and Norway’s got a particularly bad report card in terms of the far right. So much for being all modern and “Scandinavian,” and well in the top ten worldwide for “quality of life.”
But I don’t think I can, or anyone in this country can, throw stones at Europe. We’ve got the room to assimilate however many people want to wash up on these shores, but we’ve got Trump in the White House and White Supremacists walking around with loaded weapons in plain sight.
Because not too long ago this “guy’s guy” was in an office just off the Oval Office documenting his own master plan on a white board. He might not be in the White House now, but his schemes continue apace. We need to be aware of that.
What I’m talking about is a uniquely Italian paranoia that is evidenced by the continued affection felt by a significant number of Italians for fascism and Mussolini. Steve Bannon’s idol. Which is why I brought it up. Every country has its ugly underbelly. Mussolini is part of Italy’s.
OT, but this article in the April Atlantic Monthly is a REALLY good overview of how so many evangelical Christians in this country devolved into flaming hypocrites. Just an awesome read.
@edys - Thanks for that article; it’s awesome, although the author mentions something that doesn’t exist: partial birth abortion and does so because she was raised an evangelical and thinks they’ve only now become hypocrites and I would beg to differ.