Naples '44 isn't a tough read at all. It's pretty easy unless your feathers get ruffled by Lewis pointing out that the principal role of the US Military Government seemed to be the recreation of the Mafia.
Rachel Kushner covers some of that in her Believer piece on Malaparte: "Norman Lewis reports that Canadian soldiers were notorious for exercising their “droit du seigneur” over the “syphilitic sisters” of the region, while Lewis’s own book features a photograph on its cover of a woman stripping on a bar top, a soldier clutching her legs as if examining them for purchase, unfortunately a perfect symbol of the state of affairs in Naples, where everything was for sale and the Americans were buying—a situation that Malaparte either despaired over or savored." https://www.thebeliever.net/s-o-s/
That's certainly not the picture on the cover of my copy! Yes, in Naples there was terrible poverty and everything was for sale; including American military justice. But the general gist is that that was basically business as usual in Naples. I don't remember much about Canadians but as most of them were on the other side of the peninsula I can't imagine they feature to anyy greart extent.
For tangible proof of WLMK's "spiritualism", check out Laurier House (if it's still open) in Ottawa, where the longest-reigning Prime Minister in the British Commonwealth lived out his final days, in the home of perhaps the greatest Prime Minister that this country will ever have....
And after that, head out to KIngsmere (in Gatineau) where WLMK assembled concrete ruins of "sacred" places from the history of western "democracy", from all over the world....
I'll definitely seek out and read this book -- if only for the laughs. There's MUCH more to be written about WLMK, and his role in facilitating the end of WW II, and creating contemporary Canada!
Naples '44 isn't a tough read at all. It's pretty easy unless your feathers get ruffled by Lewis pointing out that the principal role of the US Military Government seemed to be the recreation of the Mafia.
Doesn't it show the abject levels of poverty and Canadian soldiers (well-fed, healthy) taking prostitutes?
Rachel Kushner covers some of that in her Believer piece on Malaparte: "Norman Lewis reports that Canadian soldiers were notorious for exercising their “droit du seigneur” over the “syphilitic sisters” of the region, while Lewis’s own book features a photograph on its cover of a woman stripping on a bar top, a soldier clutching her legs as if examining them for purchase, unfortunately a perfect symbol of the state of affairs in Naples, where everything was for sale and the Americans were buying—a situation that Malaparte either despaired over or savored." https://www.thebeliever.net/s-o-s/
That's certainly not the picture on the cover of my copy! Yes, in Naples there was terrible poverty and everything was for sale; including American military justice. But the general gist is that that was basically business as usual in Naples. I don't remember much about Canadians but as most of them were on the other side of the peninsula I can't imagine they feature to anyy greart extent.
For tangible proof of WLMK's "spiritualism", check out Laurier House (if it's still open) in Ottawa, where the longest-reigning Prime Minister in the British Commonwealth lived out his final days, in the home of perhaps the greatest Prime Minister that this country will ever have....
And after that, head out to KIngsmere (in Gatineau) where WLMK assembled concrete ruins of "sacred" places from the history of western "democracy", from all over the world....
I'll definitely seek out and read this book -- if only for the laughs. There's MUCH more to be written about WLMK, and his role in facilitating the end of WW II, and creating contemporary Canada!
I've heard back from NT re France. Basically, Churchill (who was in favour) wore Roosevelt (who was against, but ailing) down.