Summary of Evening Descends Upon the Hills
“Evening Descends Upon the Hills” — also published in English as “Neapolitan Chronicles” — is a collection of short stories and reportages set in the impoverished city of Naples in the years following the Second World War. Written by the Italian author Anna Maria Ortese, the book blends fiction and journalism to portray life in Naples in the afterwar period.
Reasons to read Evening Descends Upon the Hills
Anna Maria Ortese was a celebrated Italian author, who wrote novels, short stories, poetry, and journalism, yet she remains little known among English-language readers. “Evening Descends Upon the Hills” won the Premio Viareggio in 1953 (‘premio speciale per la narrativa’). Ortese’s portrait of Naples is often said to have influenced Elena Ferrante’s famous Neapolitan Novels. Other notable works by Ortese include “The Iguana”, “Poveri e semplici” (winner of the Premio Strega in 1967) and “Il porto di Toledo”.
Original title: Il mare non bagna Napoli
Year of publication: 1953
Nr of pages: 208
