Briciole della Vita by Petr Andreevic Vjazemskij

 Briciole della Vita

by Petr Andreevic Vjazemskij is one of the sunniest and funniest books that you can read! Recently published by Adelphi, this book contains a series of little sunny and funny events occurred to the most eminents people in the Russia of 1800 taking in consideration also people of the rest of European countries as well. Petr was the son of prince Andrej Ivanovic and of his second wife, Jenny O'Reilly, irish. He was born in Moscow. He studied in an institute of Jesuits and when his parents disappeared the tutor became Karamzin. He paid a lot of attention on Petr, who worked constantly with success becoming an affirmed poet and writer as well.

In this short but exhilarating book, you'll find more than a good laugh.

Some facts that you'll find? 

Ok, let's start.

Someone was in love to extract teeth: he wasn't a dentist, but a common man with this passion. Everyday he didn't leave his house without the necessary and poor relatives or friends, when they communicated him that they had pain became ready for an extraction!

You know: South Russia has always been a bit revolutionary. Once when Emperor Alessandro decided to visit Odessa,  he was received by the local governor in the big mansion where he stayed. They started a long conversation in his studio, when, at a certain point, the governor left the room locking the Emperor in the studio. After a while, Alessandro searched for some help.

Oh, a man had a good reputation because he loved to eat and drink massively. Once, this man discovered a beautiful tavern for wealthy people, where it was served a wonderful capon. He appreciated that whole capon so badly that he returned the day after, and again, the day after to eat an entire capon everyday! At the same time, the owner of the tavern shared the news: a man, just a man everyday eats an entire capon in his tavern! You can just imagine what happened: the tavern plenty of people ready to see the show. When the man understood what was going on he didn't return anymore in the tavern and the owner was also punished because too undiscreet.

Once a man went to a post office asking if there were some mails for him. "Yes, please, your last name?" asked the staffer of the post office. "I have no idea. Should I have a last name?" So he left, and without remembering his last name thought that he would have met someone along the street saying him: hi! And in fact someone called him with his last name! All happy returned to the post office telling them which was his last name.

Another time during a feast, yes this man lived a bit in the clouds, (but was a very important man!)  the coat and then took what he thought that was the hat: it was the chamber-pot! and with that one in his hand, entered triumphantly in the room where there were the other guests!

Once, some people were invited to a dinner in a beautiful house in the countryside, when a fire started to burn the house. Everyone cried for "water! water!" just a man said: "Oh, no please, you can drink water: I want just vodka!"

Someone had been punished for some reason and couldn't leave his land: he walked one day in the city when he met a friend: "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be confined in your lands?" He replied: "Yes, I am still searching where my lands are."

Once a man from Moscow spent some days in Israel. They asked him if he had enjoyed the trip. He complained: he couldn't find a decent cream because of the heat, but doves was an excellent dish, so, confirmed he really enjoyed to visit Bethlem and other territories.

Yes: Russian people love to eat and Petr tells that once, some very rich men loved to invite every possible person to their luncheon. They could be also strangers, or friends of other friends, like it is common to do in some part of Italy. Once a man, maybe there was some lack of food that day, talked with the host of the luncheon. The host asked if he had eaten sufficiently: "Yes, I have seen all the dishes...." replied discomforted the guest.

Once a boy in love for a girl didn't know how to tell her his feelings: they were eating and so started to caress her footh under the table. The girl said him: "Tell me, if you love me. Don't touch my footh because I have painful callus."

I stop the anecdots here, leaving to you the pleasure of a wonderful reading, where you'll meet Pushkin and Tolstoj, Catherine the Great, her son, Napoleon, of course, because defeated by the Russians, and many many more little or big facts that will let you smile or laugh.

One of the best readings that you can search this summer. Really enjoyable book.

I thank Adelphi for the physical copy of the book.

Anna Maria Polidori