Bettie's Books

Captain Mansana (Kaptejn Mansana, en foretaeling fra Italien) opens:I was on my way to Rome, and as I entered the train at Bologna, I bought some newspaers to read on my journey.Bjoernstjerne Bjoernson insists in his author's note that the person Captain Mansana did exist and who am I to dispute that. This story surrounds the exhumation of the titular's bones from a cemetary of the poor and criminal class to be re buried with much pomp and circumstance as a hero of his times. Mansana's fight was within those societies seeking to make Italy a country and reducing the Papal stranglehold.Mother's HandsMummy and daughter have a 'little talk' after an excruciating display of adoration. Within this story Bjoernstjerne Bjoernson submits his dissing of Tolstoy, pointing out just where Leo gets it all wrong.Lots to chew over in these two short stories, although the translation is not tip-top it's good enough to extract the full meaning of the prose. Probably deserves a re-read in a few years.