Columbia University Symposium Vaccines and Global Health Final Part

 The Symposium Vaccines and Global Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Development, Strategy and Implementation organized by Columbia University is over. Five stimulating days where vaccines, and vaccination against COVID-19 lived a global approach, seeing what will happen next.

For personal reasons I could not follow the third event (smartphone connection problems) but I followed the other part of the symposium.

The fourth day moderator Linda Fried the first person to speak was Anthony Fauci, MD, Director, National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease, National Institute of Health. At first Fauci returned to speak of the HIV/AIDS outbreak. During the Clinton administration the President pressed for the discovery of a vaccine. And there are good news in this sense because the National Institute of Health  has established a new AIDS vaccine research center. First trial of the vaccine against HIV is successful.

COVID-19: what kind of technology needed to be used for the coronavirus? Technologies known are the most diversified. A genetic immunization using the RNA of the virus (Pfizer, Moderna) and the viral vector, (Astrazeneca and Sputnik) the one taken in consideration. 

Genetic solutions was also known for SARS, MERS, West Nile, Zika and more; viral vector for Ebola Marburg and the same Zika. A virus pretty known the influenza one, and a vaccine every year re-fixed and in commerce every year uses the recombinant protein, but in some cases a vaccine can be created using nanoparticles; what does that mean? Viral protein on particles.

Let's see now Moderna vaccine, the one received by Fauci. Moderna Biontech uses as said before mRNA of the virus, so   the nucleid acid. This protein, the spike one is the "skin" let's use this expression of the virus, the one that aggressively enters in our cells.

The body, once receives it through the vaccine, recognizes it and starts the production, what a joy! of antibodes. Efficacy is extremely elevated in every sense. 

Fauci underlying the simplicity of manifacturing this vaccine; it is also highly immonogenic.

Astrazeneca and Jannsenn uses an Adenovirus vector, so a virus taken by a mammal. This vaccine is known and distributed in Europe and uses the same technology of the one of Sputnik, in this case russian.

Novavax and Sanofi vice-versa uses an adjuvanted recombinant protein. Fauci underlying that it is not simple to see this product manifactured as the other vaccines seen before.

But why was it possible a vaccine in record-time? All the humanity, together, united the forces for the creation of a vaccine in grade the make the difference, setting free the humanity from this pandemic influenza. Sure: now it will be necessary the creations of billion of doses of vaccines for covering the entire world. 

In the USA the distribution is divided in four part: the first one was for health care professionals and long-term care facility residents, the second for frontiline essential workers and persons aged 75 and more; the third for persons of 65-74 years then for people aged 16-64 years with high-risk conditions and then the phase two for all that people not included in the first phase of vaccination aged 16 years or older.

Sometimes we find skepticists about vaccination. Why this? Fauci focused this sad story in several points: people are mainly worried regarding long-term effects of the COVID-19 vaccines, because unknown but also because they think that they can experiment strong side collateral effects or, vice-versa they think that these vaccines are not effective, or that, yes there are people also thinking this, that they might fall sick of  COVID-19 thanks to the vaccine (sic!)

There is some confusion.

There are no problems. The same President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris have been vaccinated, and the same Fauci, Collins and Azard were.

Monitoring the situation of the first doses inoculated, it was seen that there hasn't been any weird or strong collateral effects and there is also a great news: anaphylaxis is very rare! 

Why is it so important a vaccination against COVID-19?

Herd immunity is a first and crucial step for avoiding to the COVID-19 virus to create more big and massive  damages. Using massive doses of hi and so people vaccinated, the rush of the virus will be interrupted or weaken, because, simply, he won't find anymore any "guest," I use the word guest for human body, where he can enters in, uninvited, and creating wagons of problems, in most cases lethal ones.

Not only: a strong vaccinations, we know that the british variant is OK with this vaccines like other variants, would interrupt them as well; slowly the virus would become always more weak and impotent and one day only a cold or a little flu.

It's important in this phase a massive vaccination. In every place where vaccine doses massively inoculated it was possible to see that hospitalizations were strongly reduced and countries much more safe (always using mask, social distancing and cleaning hands compulsively).

Then Fauci analyzed the variants and their presence in the world: the so-called B.1.1.7 originally "born" in the UK is now in 77 countries; in the USA recognized 1881 cases in 44 States. What the UK, British variant causes? An exponential increased trasmissibility; a possible incresed severity of the illness in general and only marginally, a reduced vaccine efficacy and in-vitro neutralization by vaccine induced antibodies.

The B.1. 351  has been spotted in 37 countries. At first born in South Africa, this variant, is in the USA with 46 cases in 14 States. This one is a more complicated variant. As for the british one there is an increased in transmissibility; what Fauci underlined is that there is a moderately to severely reduced vaccine efficacy; and in vitro has been seen that neutralization by certain monoclonal antibodies may be severly reduced.

Then there is the P.1 variant, originally born in Brazil: it is in 33 countries, in the USA there are just 5 cases in 4 States, which is  comforting; in this cases antibodies elicited by previous infection or vaccine may be less effective.

So; next generation of anti-COVID-19 vaccines will take in consideration specific variant, and approaches to increase breadth protection, plus there are new studies about pregnant women and children, immunocompromised individuals and highly allergic individuals, so that everyone can be covered by COVID-19!

What would be wonderful to reach is this goal: an universal COVID-19 vaccine!

George F. Gao, PhD – Director, China CDC – China’s Role in COVID-19 Vaccine Development spoke of the situation of vaccination and vaccines in China. There are several vaccines ready in China and other ones close to be approaved and 32 million of people have been vaccinated till now in the various provinces.

These vaccines are: inactivated, nonreplicating viral vector, protein subunit, mRNA, DNA, replicating viral vector.

The doctor started with the story of the novel Coronavirus discovered in Wuhan, province of Hubei; unknwon and weird, a

dangerous pneumonia unresponsive to common cures started to devastate the city and rapidly the diffusion in the rest of the world. Chinese autorities and doctors sequenced pretty rapidly the virus and put all their possible knowledge, including this discovery of the genomic sequences of the virus available to the rest of the world. The rush for a cure and a possible vaccine started that day.

Vaccination is completely free in China, and China is providing 10 million COVID-19 doses to COVAX.

Richard Hatchett, MD – CEO, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations talked of CEPI: the center deployed 1,3 billion dollar to develop COVID-19 vaccines, through 11 partnerships, and this one represents the largest vaccine portfolio globally. The purpose is to make two billion of doses available through the end of the year through COVAX. The role of COVAX is to meet the challenge of pandemic collectively, for the benefit of all regardless of income level. 

But what is CEPI? CEPI is a global coalition made by public, private, philantropists, and civil society organizations. CEPI stimulates the creation of vaccines for emergin infectious diseases, identifying priority treats and acting when market forces fail to drive needed development. They also build capabilities for rapid response to uknown threats.

The final day A Most Remarkable Year in Vaccines, 

Moncef Slaoui, MS, PhD – Former Director, Operation Warp Speed, US Government remarked the importance of technologies, much better than the ones of 5-6 years ago: there was a biggest learning in manifacturing and in case of a next pandemic world woud be much more prepared. Companies asked to the government of not interfere, giving at the same time trust to the system. 

Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, MSc, PhD – Vice Provost, Global Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania was sure of it: Vaccine is 

the best answer to this disaster.

The plan of WHO the one of proportionally allocate doses of vaccines to countries until all countries reach enough quantities for a 20% of coverage. The Fair Allocation Model will prevent premature death, focusing in a second phase on overall economic improvement,prioritizing at first countries with higher transmission rates and giving to to all countries sufficient vaccines to halt transmission.

Thanks to COVAX more than 2 billion of doses will be distributed in the world and 92 poorer countries covering the 20% of population.

Ghana is a very poor country but COVID-19 didn't effect a lot the population: there are in the state 30 million of people and Ghana developed only 82.000 cases and just 600 death! Peru vice-versa with a population of 32 million people developed 1.3 million of COVID cases with 4.000 deaths from COVID.

Where the market is failing?

The current patent regime obstructs optimal vaccine production and limits access to innovation therapies; not only: there is an unfair distribution of vaccines based on wealth and not burden.

A good approach to the problem would be an altruistic tiered pricing approach, open licensing approach, a mixed bilateral multi-lateral approach, a complete multi-lateral institutional approach.

Oh, in this cases companies will be obliged to tier price according to each country's financial capacity donating at the same time vaccines for the lowest income countries.

Ethically is better to vaccinate as more people as possible with a first dose, because it means rushing much more for giving a coverage against this horrible illness to as many people as possible.

A first jag gives a good immunity, and at the same time a strong vaccination of a lot of people will mean putting in security people, countries and their sanitary system.

There are important reflections regarding the situation of the world; a chinese relator remarked that in China there are just sporadic cases imported, that they don't have new outbreaks, and more important no variants are presents in their territory

OK: I tried to soum the most I followed. Unfortunately because of the time difference between New York and Italy and my internet connection, just a smartphopne, I could not be there for all the relators, but it was immensely beauty following wonderful human beings that are trying to resolve as quickly as possible this pandemic pandemonium.

I thank so much Columbia University for  the invitation because I follow COVID-19 since the beginning and also pretty compulsively because...it was simple to imagine that this one, being an uncurable pneumonia, would have been the biggest threat in a couple of months, for the entire world, our pandemic flu. 

I shared all these months news for giving to the people the possibility of saving their existence. This one to me has always been a priority and in my little I do that it as well everyday

I am a reporter but since now I hadn't never given coverage to any COVID-19 news, apart some book reviews so I am absolutely grateful! also for this possibility.

Anna Maria Polidori 

   

The death of Pierre - Guillaume de Roux

 Weeks ago I read an article published by Le Figaro. A french publishing house released a book about the love-story between Chopin and George Sand: oh, it was a story incredibly strong and at the same time particular, you must know. I previously read and reviewed Chopin's Funeral by Eisler, a great book and I was curious of this new one. I was also reading a book by George Sand, so I felt a lot of inspiration. 

I didn't know that publishing house, when I surfed the web, called PGDR. I experienced because of the bad weather, difficulties in surfing the page, but I immediately found the various social medias where I could have reached with more simplicity the page. 

I was  transported in the page of Pierre-Guillaume de Roux,

the founder of the publishing house, that it is called with his same name: you had to add him, requesting his friendship. I thought that wow, he was for sure a character. I requested the friendship, but...It was very cold; it snowed and it was impossible any kind of activity like writing, reading, composing e-mails. I thought that I would have introduced myself later, in a week or so.

I didn't forget the love between Chopin and George Sand and one day I thought that it was time, weather more warm, to see if I could ask for a review copy at the publishing house. I opened the page of monsieur Pierre-Guillaume de Roux: there were many articles and reading them I discovered...That he was dead!

I was very sorry. It didn't never happen before that I requested a friendship for later discovering that the person, in the while, died. And...I can't tell you what I proved. 

But...Who was Pierre-Guillame de Roux? I became curious. 

Pierre-Guillame was a son of art. I guess you noticed I am reading and reviewing various books by L'Editions de L'Herne: good. The father of Pierre-Guillame, Dominique, was the founder of the Cahiers de l'Herne. 

Dominque was the hero of Pierre-Guillaume; unfortunately, Dominque de-Roux disappeared also too soon, in 1977, leaving a devastated son of just 14 years.

The same love for books, publishing houses captured Pierre-Guillame who, five years later worked with Christian Bourgois, a god in the editorial field and later at La Table Ronde, Julliard, Editions Bartillat, Rocher. 

The decision of create a publishing house in 2010. Authors published: Gilles Lapouge, Philippe Le Guillou, Jean-Pierre Montai and more. For what I understood, reading various pieces, and I thank the Editions de L'Herne for the material, Pierre-Guillame was a free spirit; enchanted by the writings of Marcel Proust but also by the timeless adventure told by Dumas in the Three Musketeers. 

To the family many condolences.

Anna Maria Polidori 

Verdi a Parigi by Paolo Isotta

 Verdi a Parigi

by Paolo Isotta, beloved musicologist disappeared recently and gone too soon is a masterpiece and if you love Verdi, this book is for you. 

I would want to suggest this book also to all that people not too much into melodramma but that want to learn much more, because trust me, with the informations that a beautiful mind like Isotta shares with you, you will appreciate much more lyric.

Why Isotta wrote this book? 

Because there wasn't previously a book in grade to put in evidence something so remarkably interesting: that Verdi made the difference in the Parisien melodramma and that his passage has been one of the most significative ones. Unfortunately italian literature wasn't in grade the capture the exceptionality of Verdi, writes Isotta and anglo-american literature loves to focus mainly in artists like Meyerbeer, Haley and others; italians are not taken in consideration, although they made the difference. and the story of the French Opera has been built by italians like Salieri, Gluck, Cherubini, Spontini Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi. 

Verdi knew the french society very well, exactly as he knew the italian one. The realization of La Traviata, after the reading of Flaubert and Balzac, meant to him the knowledge of what Isotta calls le monde, the demi-monde and what it is in the between.

If compared to the biggest writers and musicians of all the time, the geniality of Verdi is this one: reading the reality as close and distant, in its proximity and in its distancy. 

The various chapters of this book are entirely dedicated to the french operas he treated. I picked up La Traviata. 

In this opera it is treated the thematic of pronstitution; Alphonsine Plessie or later in the demi-monde described as Mary Duplessis was a prostitute largely known in the  pariesien elite. 

This lady was maintained by very rich and wealthy men very proud of being in her orbit.

At the same time, there was a strong male homosexuality in the Paris of that time.

Isotta remarks the importance of reading several books on the topic written by Dumas father: Le Demi-Monde and La question d'Argent.

Linzt was one of the lovers of Mary Duplessis. Born very popor, violented by her father, once the orc died, at 16 age, she started this work in Paris, evidently thinking that no other work could be great for her. 

Being beautiful, she becomes the lover of an aristocrat. The education that the artistocrat imparted her was appreciated; she started to be in grade of reading, she wore beautiful clothes but never too eccentric, she had a child, but she didn't abandon him.

She also had an 80 years old lover: Gustav Ernst von Stackelberg, pretty jealous of the other ones he offered her wagons of money and wonderful houses. Dumas Son becomes another lover of Duplessis; it's a moment in which her illness is in progression. She died in misery and with most of her affectionated lovers, included the oldest one, gone.

Armand Duval e Marguerite are the protagonists of La Signora delle Camiele by Dumas.

A book plenty of pathos, Armand will discover the strong opposition of his father, who wanted to preserve money and things, and who convinced in a way or in another Marguerite at leaving her beloved lover.

Verdi sees in this story the great chance for a masterpiece: what the Traviata is. The story similar: Violetta is a courtesan, Alfredo a boy who will fall in love for her, with the strong opposition of his father. Violetta at the same time understands that she can't experience a normal love because she is a pronstitute...

Highly recommended.

I thank Marsilio fot rhe physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori 

Columbia Symposium Vaccines and Global Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Development, Strategy and Implementation Part Two

 The second appointment of the symposium organized by Columbia, Vaccines and Global Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Development, Strategy and Implementation focused the attention tonight on Global Solutions to an Unprecedented Demand.

Yes: a pandemic flu is not just a problem of a country, but of the entire world and a common, inclusive strategy should be the best answer for sorting out part of the problem.

Tonight the moderator was Philip LaRussa, MD – Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, CUIMC.

The first relator was Tedros Ghebreyesus, MS, PhD – Director-General, World Health Organization.

But, before, what Columbia University tries to do is to find global solutions at this immense problem establishing dialogues, connections that can apport ideas. A global solution is imperative for seeing the light after this long dark tunnel.

Ghebreyesus said that he was happy to be back at Columbia University. In 2017 there was a meeting about health security and was described at that time Spanish Flu. Strangely, Ghebreyesus notices pandemic influenzas were forgotten.

It is true: the Spanish Flu was removed by everyone. Yes, writers, painters, creatives, treated the topic sometimes, and not everyone (Hemingway fell sick with Spanish Flu but he didn't write a line on it) but... it was as the population would have wanted to remove that horror, a disgrace contemporary with the first world war. 

It wasn't sure where a pandemic flu could start, adds Ghebreyesus but existed this possibility. A terrible moment for the humanity. "We were not prepared for a pandemic flu" admits Ghebreyesus. 

Not only: not all countries are responding in the same way or have the same level of infections. 

Problems with vaccines is that sometimes they arrive too late. In 2016 remembers Ghebreyesus they took particular consideration about Sars, Mers, Corona Virus as possible future immense problems for the humanity. 

A vaccine has been developed in grear rush, true, but now it's important that all the countries would receive it. It's normal that every country thinks per se at first, but the longer the pandemic flu will persist, more longer will affect economy (and let's add, the existence of people, in particular the most vulnerable ones) and the reconstruction of the society.

What it is important with vaccines is an accelleration. All countries must share with other countries. 

Nicole Lurie, MD – Strategic Advisor, CEPI treated the topic of vaccine Nationalism.

Samba Sow, MD, MSc – University of Maryland – Director-General, Center for

Vaccine Development-Mali, introduced the situation lived in West Africa by citizens. It is a too tranquil situation where it is said to population that Covid-19 is not there massively, but it circulates and it is not the only epidemy developed in that corner of the world: another powerful and absolutely horrible other one is Ebola.

"COVID-19 left us more exposed" adds Sow.  Anyway Sow adds that "we have learnt the lesson." What Sow is noticing is this politicizing of COVID-19 pandemic like also good channels of communications shouldn't never be understimated.

People are diffident and sometimes when you reach communities with some vaccines they think that you want to infect them. In this sense there is some work that need to be done. "We must reach communities, vaccinating them and proceeding with the second fundamental dose" adds Sow.

An investiment in vaccines is an investiment in future.

Seth Berkley, MD – CEO, GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance, went immediately to the point. At first he told that he was happy to be back at Columbia where he spoke three years ago of some similar topics.

At first when the pandemic flu started, questions were many: a vaccine would be possible? Technologies, the ones developed till now would have been helpful?

In 325 days was created a vaccine; but problems are not yet sorted out, because it will be indispensible to allocate these vaccines everywhere in the world. "Let's see if we can bring the world together." 190 countries are collaborating, which means 190 economies for Covax.

But there are many reasons why a country can't have immediately the vaccine: wars, disorders, conflicts of various genre.

Every country, anyway must be ready: delivery, logistics.

"We have seen panic for vaccine: everyone wants to be vaccinated.The risk? That vaccines reaches just rich countries experiencing generational consequences."

Jeffrey Sachs, PhD – Columbia University illustrated the financial part of COVID-19 in this international plan that should cover the entire world.

Sachs admits that there was a great rapidity in the creation of the vaccine. Sure, he added: "We have had the most horrible, psychopatic leader in the world, but in this sense Europe and USA have significantly failed in the fight against COVID-19 and we should reflect on this." Sachs point the fingers against a policy unable to stop the spread of COVID-19 with efficacy, in America and Europe; different is the story of Asian countries.

It will be important in particular during the G-20 planning thanks to the International monetary Fund, special funds, for covering the entire world with vaccine-doses.  

Anna Maria Polidori 

Anna Maria Polidori 

Columbia University Symposium : Vaccines and Global Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Development, Strategy and Implementation

 I know that this one is a site for book reviews, but...I am a reporter as you know and this topic is too important for all of us: COVID-19.

Yesterday I have been invited at the participation of the symposium organized by the Columbia University: Vaccines and Global Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Development, Strategy and Implementation. 

The Program in Vaccine Education at the Columbia has a special mission: the one of inform, educators, academic, journalists, health care professionals , global health non-governmental organizations, and people in general regarding the importance of vaccines, their development.

During these past three centuries, scientists discovered something like 30 vaccines that saved the humanity from horrible diseases. I received the vaccination against smallpox. I was little, I don't remember that jag, but I did it. Smallpox was a horrible illness, defeated because of a vaccination.

Sure, problems are not resolved with the discoveries of these vaccines; scientists discover everyday new way for treating new illnesses, and the discovery of more than 150 pathogens can't let us stay relaxed.

Sure: what happened last December in Wuhan has been like a third world war, made without guns, but with an invisible enemy, and not only: repercussion involved every single aspect of the daily existence of citizens: people learnt that they needed to wear a mask for protection; that they needed to wash their hands with lotions and soap very often during the day; that they had to give up most of their human interactions; not anymore bars, cafés, restaurant, sport; nothing. Every little action became endlessly tiring, like buying something at the supermarket or in a pharmacy, because of long lines; it is still in this way and will be for some other time in this way. 

Hearing from the oldest people, the ones experienced also the latest world war conflict, emerged that a pandemic flu is something, where possible, more horrible than a war, because, if in a war you have the chance, the necessity of seeing people, for searching a refugee, an escapism somewhere, or just for comfort and because united we can fight much better, during a pandemic flu isolation is a priority for keeping safe the existences. 

Who experienced or is experiencing COVID-19 and what this illness mean will tell like a mantra: try of not catching it, because it is not important the level of illness you will experience, a pandemic flu is mortal in a percentage of 1,5-2.00% of the population, but because also when symptoms are not particularly virulents, people live in a miserable state.

As you know I follow the story of COVID-19 from the beginning, when there was just the news of a weird, unfortunately not curable pneumonia in the city of Wuhan. It was more than understandable that this one would have been our pandemic influenza.

Since there I posted wagons of articles in the net; sharing them to me means that other people will be very well informed because they're first-hand news and I always hope that thaks also to them they won't fall sick. Saving lives to me is incredibly important and in a pandemic flu it is the most important thing to do: preserving the population. 

I accepted with great enthusiasm the invitation.

25 eminent people will make the point about COVID-19, responses, strategies and what will happen next during these days.

I tell you what it was said in the first day of discussion. I didn't write anything and I have many internet connection problems (I don't have anymore an internet connection, just my smartphone, and living in a countryside means that sometimes it doesn't work well at all.)

So more or less the most important concepts I remember. 

The welcome from Lee Bellinger, President of the Columbia University; moderator was Lawrence R. Stanberry, MD, PhD – director of the Programs in Global Health, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

At first a relator told to the audience the importance and velocity applied in the discovery of a vaccine in grade to make a difference for the global population. The study of the genome of a virus and the possibility of having these kind of vaccines, will mean in the future a quickest time for the preparation of vaccines involving other dangerous and lethal illnesses.

Zika and Ebola have been two incredibly complicated epidemics and the outbreak, at first in Wuhan, China of COVID-19 meant for the world, the biggest fight in a century, speaking medically but also economically, socially.

Not only: in the future, the relator added, not now, because still in the pandemic moment, will be indispendible to try to understand what it could have been done more. The USA in fact experienced yesterday more than 500.000 dead people and in a few months the number could increase, reaching the 700.000 units. Wagons of people lost their existence and it will be indispensible to try to understand why all of it happened. 

Nancy Messonnier, MD  Director of National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC, focused the attention in the arrival of the vaccines. It will be and it is a massive vaccination this one wanted in the USA and every public or private space will be taken in great consideration for the vaccination against COVID-19. Not only: it will be important to sensibilize, added Messonier, people regarding the importance of being vaccinated against Covid-19. Because vaccine will be a first important step for then trying to see a sort of normality.

Shabir Madhi, MBChB, MMed, FCPaeds PhD – Professor of Vaccinology, University of the Witwatersrand offered a perspective about the situation in South Africa with a lot of slides focusing also on the efficacy or not efficacy of the various first generation vaccines against COVID-19.

Anna Maria Polidori 

Invisible Ink by Patrick Modiano Translated by Mark Polizotti

 Beautiful, fantastic book this one by Patrick Modiano,

Invisible Ink. His last book, published by Yale Press and translated by Mark Polizzotti from french, isveonderful

You won't put it down till the end, trust me!

Vividly great, when you will start to read it, you'll be guided by the intense narration of the main character, Jean Eyben; he decided to write down this book for telling the strange case of Noelle Lefebvre, a case at first, he started officially to follow without success more than 30 years ago.

As it happens most of the time, the disappearance of a person has a lot of meanings: and although Jean tries all his best, his researches are fruitless. He discovers a sort of notebook where he can't find anything important written by Noelle; he understood that Noelle lived with someone in Paris. That there was a weird work, but that Noelle developed also a good friendship in particular with a lady. No one is in grade of telling where Noelle is and why she disappeared. 

Some people imagine that maybe she has been killed, but, substantially, what emerges from these investigations is a sort of phantom without a precise existence, that remains undefined, and that, at a certain point, simply, disappears, vanishing as a cloud, vanishing as if never existed and without to be spasmodically searched by a potential companion or beloved friends; Noelle, simply entered in that black hole of missing people, where, existences, destinies, human stories are deleted forever, or when optimical, swallowed by memory. 

Time passes by and investigations, officially, ends. Of course Jean, during the decades tries to resolve the story of this missing person, and that's why the title of the book. Invisible Ink. After all, Jean discovers that maybe he didn't understand the most of what written, because, simply, Noelle used an invisible ink for putting sensitive material in her notebook. Jean experienced an important misunderstanding with a last name... I found the first part simply spectacular; the second one is written taking in consideration Noelle and her personal choices...

I found beautiful  without spoiling too much, the description of Rome. I hadn't never thought at our capital in that way, but... it is true: Rome dilatates memory, calming down people, adding joy in the existence and, huggin, of a very warm and cordial hug, every person and visitor.

A wonderful, short book, written with great ability!

You'll love it.

Highly recommended

I thank Yale University Press for the physical copy of the book.

Anna Maria Polidori 

Histoire du Veritable Gribouille by George Sand

 What a beautiful gem is the Histoire of Veritable

Gribouille by George Sand. One of the many used french books I presented to me for my birthday time ago.

It was from a long time  that I didn't read a book so intense, inspired and powerful and at the same time, dreaming.

Gribouille is part of a numerous family and would want to be loved so badly. No one loves him in that family and it is causes of great sufferance; nor his parents, because they think that he is not useful, neither his numerous siblings. 

One day, during an enchanting meeting, he finds a magical creatures and because of his goodness, the magical creature tells him that he wants to help him, magically as well. 

Oh, Gribouille would want to be loved by his family, more than anything else, but that one is a wish and dream that, unfortunately is impossible to realize. 

Monsieur Bourdon at the same time promises him, if he wants, to join him; he would want to teach him the art of necromancy and magic. 

Gribouille would want to stay with his family, and would want to be loved, but then he understood that not being loved maybe it is better to join Bourdon. But Bourdon is not a good creature and no, Gribouille can't understand any spells, any magic. He is treated well, he eats regularly but he sees that there is no future in a land like the one of Bourdon, so he asks him to return at the house of his parents. The punishment is immense.

Gribouille understands that after all the house of his parents can't be the answer of his problems and finds the magical world of the Queen of Fairies. 

In this case Gribouille finds a wonderful place where to staying in and the Queen helps him to understand goodness; there is great peace and harmony in her world in contrapposition to the world created by Bourdon, plenty of injustices, disharmonies and wars.

The queen tells to Gribouille: "Il a sédut et corrompu les hommes de ton pays par se richesses. .....Il a rendu beacucoup de gens très riches et le pays florissant en apparence; mais, manière à les laisser mourir de faim, parce qu'il a ru rendre le riches ègoistes et durs." 

"He seduced and corrupted the men of your country for his personal richness...True, he kept a lot of people rich and his countries florid, apparently; but, most people died starved because he created rich egoists, hard people. 

Not only; the queen of fairies tells him that also his parents are dead and all the people he had previously known.

There was in the reign of the Queen of Fairies only happiness and her feasts were long 100 years! emanating just good vibes. Gribouille understood much more good values, and goodness enjoying a lot the positive presence of the Queen of Fairies. Although he stayed very well in the reign of the Queen of Fairies, at a certain point decided of asking her if he could leave her realm of goodness. 

The queen objected that in her realm Gribouille was immortal and although of course he could help, cures and saves the citizens of his country, it would be risky. Sure: the queen using her wisdom understood that the desire of Gribouille of being helpful for and in his community was more than good and donated him as a protection, a talisman because being mortal, for fighting against injustice he could also risk his own existence.

Flowers, a rose, special, was brought away by Gribouille, who wanted to return to fight for the rights of his people, without forgetting the sweetness of the realm of the Queen of Fairies.

Gribouille starts to tell to everyone his experience: he went in a wonderful place, where after all everyone could go: a place where the only condition was to be a decent person, good, with an open heart, ready to love; oh what a wonderful place that one, where everyone breathed goodness, happiness, joy, beauty, tranquillity, freedom, enjoying the good, and pacific temper of its citizens.

He tells to his citizens that science: the one of loving and being loved.

Thanks also to the presence of that flowers he brought with him, he was accepted wherever he went. People were enchanted by his songs, his way of telling, his fantastic places, and the prrsonal message Gribouille wanted to spread everywhere. 

Gribouille started to enter in the hearts of everyone and the voice of his passage arrived at the ears of terrible Bourdon.

He invited Gribouille in the capital of his realm and Gribouille accepted, thinking that he wanted anyway to tell to everyone what he thought important: "Pourvu que je fasse de bien, qu'importe le mal que pourra m'arriver!" 

"Because I am spreading the goodness, who cares the badness I could receive!"

The king didn't change at all, noticed Gribouille. Once destroyed his bouquet of flowers, and once put in jail, Gribouille understands that many more people became beasts in the country of Bourdon. In fact he met some animals in his cell, and they told him all the truth: that they were transformed by the King in something else. It is wonderfully important this passage to my point of view, because it gives the perception of the sickness of a society, where lack of dignity, lack of decency can transform people in different shapes, not because they would want, but because constricted by what they are seeing, living and experiencing.

At the end, withouth protection and during a battle Gribouille will lose his existence, but he is still venerated by everyone: a temple was built in his honor, and every year, in particular during the day of his birthday they love to sing the songs Gribouille sang to them.

In the realm of the Queen of Fairies, Gribouille became a beautiful flower and once passed 100 years a sylph, who chanted, laughed, loved, and made a perennial feast to his loving godmother.

A masterpiece this one; not just a fairy-tale but also a message that should reach everyone about the role that each of us should play in a society and in particular how the world should be ruled.

Anna Maria Polidori 

 

Via Libera 50 Donne che si sono fatte strada by Valentina Ricci Viola Afrifa and Romana Rimondi

I love reading books containing portraits of women who made the difference during their existence. There are not too many women who can tell this to the posterity.

That's why this new book Via

Libera 50 Donne che si sono fatte strada by Valentina Ricci Viola Afrifa and Romana Rimondi is so important.

50 portraits of women who made of their unicity the mirror of their existence and their success.

Each portrait, all written in first person is long just a page and few other lines: there is a picture of the protagonist.

I want to remember some portraits: surely Mariele Ventre, gone too soon, the director of the chorus of children and little protagonists of Lo Zecchino D'Oro wanted by the friars of the Antoniano di Bologna. 

Artemisia Gentileschi, a lot of siblings to grow up after the departure of her mother, at the same time a precocius painter, quality taken by her father.

Franca Florio was a manager, the one of the Palermitan... Belle Epoque.

Giulietta Masina an actress and wife of Federico Fellini; she died just few months after the departure of her beloved husband.

Matilde Serao created the newsmagazine Il Giorno; Margherita Hack was an astronomer; Giuseppina Strepponi lyric singer, and later companion of Giuseppe Verdi for ten years lived a turbulent private existence with a lot of public successes; Giuditta Levato a peasant, fought for her rights, losing the existence. Gae Aulenti vice-versa has been an architect and designer and she worked in the entire world. Genoeffa Coccini Cervi was the mother of the Brothers Cervi. Anti-fascists they gave hospitality to partisans and rebels; once discovered seven of her children were killed and their casolare destroyed. Mrs Cervi died for the pains accumulated.

Fernanda Gattinoni was an original stylist. Coco Chanel offered her a work, but she refused.

She created her maison and her clients have been Lana Turner, Jackie Kennedy, Kim Novak.

Aurora Vuillerminaz was killed because a partisan.

Gina Palmucci was a lyric singer but she died pretty soon. Cordula Poletti was a writer, in love for many women, including Eleonora Duse  and one of the first women who declared their homosexuality.

Frau Emma, with her hotel opened the Tirol and their hospitality to the world!

Irma Bandiera, good family, entered in the partisan party during the last conflict; no one would have suspected of her, but a night she fell in the hands of fascists. She was tortured for seven days and seven nights and killed close to the house where she lived with her parents.

Amalia Guglielminetti was a poet; there are also two philantropist, benefactors: Sofia Lomellini and Laura Pinelli. From Genoa, during the pestilence of 1656-1657 they helped the population in needs. Genoa counted 90.000 souls; after the pestilence just 30.000.

Elisabetta Sirani born in 1638 was a painter. She was the first one who signed his paintings although her signature, because a woman was not yet legally recognized; later founded the first academy of art for young women.

Anna Magnani, a name, the most powerful symbol of our cinema; let's also rememeber Alda Merini, her tormented existence and thelove for poetry, that saved her.

Beautiful. Buy this book to your daughters, or to yourself. It's too important! Perfect gift for the day of March 8th, International Women's Day! You'll discover beautiful portraits, written with touch and humanity and in most cases real fighters for freedom, love, work, their existence but also the wellbeing of the other ones.

Highy recommended.

I thank Sonzogno for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori