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Gomorrah (book)
Encyclopedia
Gomorrah is a book by Roberto Saviano
published in 2006.
of the Camorra
, a powerful Neapolitan
mafia
-like organization. In this book Saviano employs prose
and news-reporting style to narrate the story of the Camorra, exposing its territory and business connections.
Since 2006, following the publication of the book, Saviano has been threatened by several Neapolitan “godfathers
”. The Italian Minister of the Interior has granted him a permanent police escort, but he's often attacked by politicians of Berlusconi
's government. Also, his escort has been questioned.
As of December 2008, the book has sold almost 4 million copies worldwide.
The title of the book comes from a text by Giuseppe Diana
, a parish priest in Casal di Principe, who was killed by the Camorra in March 1994: "time has come to stop being a Gomorrah."
Gomorrah has been translated in 51 countries. It appeared in the best sellers’ lists of Germany, Holland, Spain, France, Sweden and Finland. The New York Times
has placed it amongst the most important books of 2007, while The Economist
has included it among the hundred books of the year. Saviano is the only Italian to be placed in both lists.
Gomorrah was described by some critics and other Italian authors (such as Wu Ming
, Carlo Lucarelli
and Valerio Evangelisti
) as part of a turbulent, heterogeneous stream in Italian writing called the New Italian Epic
, whose representatives are particularly keen on producing not only novels and non-fiction narratives, but also real UNOs, Unidentified Narrative Objects. Gomorrah itself was described as a UNO by several critics, readers and fellow writers.
Writing about Gomorrah on Hindustan Times
, Indian author Indrajit Hazra observed that "unlike Truman Capote
’s "fact+fiction=faction" and its obsessive hankering for details, the UNO slithers about like a beast, sometimes trodding [sic] the path of hard reportage, sometimes flipping over into personal mutterings, sometimes tripping on philosophical ruminations, sometimes diving into novelistic "voices" and sometimes gearing into social theory. And unlike Hunter S. Thompson
's 'gonzo journalism', it’s dead serious. The UNO’s only purpose is to get us reacting violently on a subject using all the tricks known in the narrating trade."
directed by Matteo Garrone
and produced by Fandango. On September 24th, 2008, the film was picked by ANICA (Italy's Association of the Cinematic and Audiovisual Industry) to represent Italy in the race for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination.
In reviewing Garrone's film based on the book, Christoph Huber wrote: "With its interest in moving beyond the categories of novel or non-fiction, Saviano’s work has been identified as part of a heterogeneous strain of national literature, subsumed as the New Italian Epic. A term that certainly isn't disgraced by Gomorrah, the film."
Roberto Saviano
Roberto Saviano is an Italian writer and journalist.In his writings, articles, television programs, and books he employs prose and news-reporting style to narrate the story of the Camorra , exposing its territory and business connections.Since 2006, following the publication of his bestselling...
published in 2006.
The book
The book describes the clandestine particulars of the businessBusiness
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
of the Camorra
Camorra
The Camorra is a Mafia-type criminal organization, or secret society, originating in the region of Campania and its capital Naples in Italy. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 18th century.-Background:...
, a powerful Neapolitan
Neapolitan
Neapolitan may refer to:* Neapolitan, of or pertaining to the city of Naples, Italy and sometimes its wider Duchy or Province of Naples** Previously a nationality, during the time of the Kingdom of Naples or the Neapolitan Republics* Neapolitan cuisine...
mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
-like organization. In this book Saviano employs prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
and news-reporting style to narrate the story of the Camorra, exposing its territory and business connections.
Since 2006, following the publication of the book, Saviano has been threatened by several Neapolitan “godfathers
Capo di tutti capi
Capo di tutti capi or capo dei capi is Italian for "boss of all bosses" or "boss of bosses". It is a phrase used mainly by the media, public and the law enforcement community to indicate a supremely powerful crime boss in the Sicilian or American Mafia who holds great influence over the whole...
”. The Italian Minister of the Interior has granted him a permanent police escort, but he's often attacked by politicians of Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
's government. Also, his escort has been questioned.
As of December 2008, the book has sold almost 4 million copies worldwide.
The title of the book comes from a text by Giuseppe Diana
Giuseppe Diana
Giuseppe Diana , also known as Father Peppino, was a Roman Catholic parish priest in Casal di Principe. He was killed by the Camorra.-Defying the Camorra:...
, a parish priest in Casal di Principe, who was killed by the Camorra in March 1994: "time has come to stop being a Gomorrah."
Reception
Gomorrah won numerous literary prizes. In January 2009 the number of copies sold in Italy surpassed 2,000,000.Gomorrah has been translated in 51 countries. It appeared in the best sellers’ lists of Germany, Holland, Spain, France, Sweden and Finland. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
has placed it amongst the most important books of 2007, while The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
has included it among the hundred books of the year. Saviano is the only Italian to be placed in both lists.
Gomorrah was described by some critics and other Italian authors (such as Wu Ming
Wu Ming
Wu Ming is a pseudonym for a group of Italian authors formed in 2000 from a subset of the Luther Blissett community in Bologna.In their pre-Wu Ming days, the group wrote the novel Q ....
, Carlo Lucarelli
Carlo Lucarelli
Carlo Lucarelli is an Italian crime-writer, TV presenter, and magazine editor. He was shortlisted for the Gold Dagger in 2003 for the novel Almost Blue.-Biography:...
and Valerio Evangelisti
Valerio Evangelisti
Valerio Evangelisti is one of the most popular Italian writers of science fiction, fantasy, historical novels and horror. He is known mainly for his series of novels featuring the inquistor Nicolas Eymerich and for the Nostradamus trilogy, all bestsellers translated into many languages...
) as part of a turbulent, heterogeneous stream in Italian writing called the New Italian Epic
New Italian Epic
New Italian Epic is a definition suggested by the Italian author Wu Ming 1 to describe a body of literary works written in Italy by various authors starting in 1993, at the end of the ‘First Republic’. This body of works is described as being formed of novels and other literary texts, which share...
, whose representatives are particularly keen on producing not only novels and non-fiction narratives, but also real UNOs, Unidentified Narrative Objects. Gomorrah itself was described as a UNO by several critics, readers and fellow writers.
Writing about Gomorrah on Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
, Indian author Indrajit Hazra observed that "unlike Truman Capote
Truman Capote
Truman Streckfus Persons , known as Truman Capote , was an American author, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's and the true crime novel In Cold Blood , which he labeled a "nonfiction novel." At...
’s "fact+fiction=faction" and its obsessive hankering for details, the UNO slithers about like a beast, sometimes trodding [sic] the path of hard reportage, sometimes flipping over into personal mutterings, sometimes tripping on philosophical ruminations, sometimes diving into novelistic "voices" and sometimes gearing into social theory. And unlike Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
's 'gonzo journalism', it’s dead serious. The UNO’s only purpose is to get us reacting violently on a subject using all the tricks known in the narrating trade."
Theatrical and cinematic adaptations
Gomorrah has been made into a play written by Saviano with Mario Gelardi and a filmGomorra (film)
Gomorrah is a 2008 Italian film directed by Matteo Garrone, based on the book by Roberto Saviano. It deals with the Casalesi clan, a crime syndicate within the Camorra — a traditional criminal organization based in Naples and Caserta, in the southern Italian region of Campania.-Plot summary:The...
directed by Matteo Garrone
Matteo Garrone
Matteo Garrone is an Italian film maker.Born in Rome, the son of a theatre critic, Nico Garrone and a photographer, in 1996 Garrone won the Sacher d'Oro, an award sponsored by Nanni Moretti, with the short film Silhouette, that became one of the three episodes that are on his first long film ...
and produced by Fandango. On September 24th, 2008, the film was picked by ANICA (Italy's Association of the Cinematic and Audiovisual Industry) to represent Italy in the race for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination.
In reviewing Garrone's film based on the book, Christoph Huber wrote: "With its interest in moving beyond the categories of novel or non-fiction, Saviano’s work has been identified as part of a heterogeneous strain of national literature, subsumed as the New Italian Epic. A term that certainly isn't disgraced by Gomorrah, the film."