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The Buddha, Geoff and Me (Italian)
A Modern Story
Ed is having a hard time - at work, in his love life and, well, generally. Then he meets an unlikely Buddhist - who drinks and smokes and talks his kind of language. Bit by bit, things begin to change.
Ed does't always take Geoff's advice. Or, when he does he lapses at the crucial moment. His path to understanding is not a straight one, especially as life keeps throwing more and more "stuff" at him. Often he fails - like most of us, in fact. But sometimes he manages to get it right. And when he does, surprising things begin to happen...
Listen to Edward's interview, the author of the book.
Opening: www.thebuddhageoffandme.com web site you will access the readers' comments. Also in Italian web site is available.
©Esperia Edizioni
Author: Edward Canfor-Dumas Pages: 336 Year of edition: 2007 Price: 12,50 €
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The Eternal City (Italian)
The novel The Eternal City by Sir Hall Caine (1853-1931) had a strong impact on the young Daisaku Ikeda. He talks often about this book when he recalls his training period under the guide of Josei Toda: «Fourteen young religious revolutionaries gathered boldly under the leadership of our teacher, Mr. Toda. [. . .] A group of youthful revolutionaries lead the people in rising up to oppose a tyrannical government, fighting resolutely against oppressive religious and secular authorities. […] The young people who are seeking to create their “eternal city” undergo a harsh winter of adversity and, through their undying love for their comrades, triumphantly usher in a joyous spring of victory. Mr. Toda used this book to instruct us in the essential spirit of the Soka Gakkai. He was a truly great teacher.» (4th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting, Tokyo, on February 8, 2007)
The story begins in Rome at the opening of the 1900 Jubileum, in the midst of the diatribe between the Italian State and the Vatican, regarding the temporal power of the Catholic Church. The society was at the time shaken by social rights claims, that were animated by the Christian Socialism that Hall Caine himself upheld. David Rossi is a member of Parlament belonging to the Left Wing. He struggles for the rights of the people and against the prime minister, who tries, moreover, to prevent him from accomplish his dream of love with the beautiful Donna Roma.
Caine spent a long time in Rome, visiting every place he depicted in the novel; his descriptions are accurate and reflect the social climate of the age. The story is pervaded by a religious spirit and the characters, even the most evil ones, are described in a compassionate way, revealing Caine as an investigator of the human soul. The reader is also struck by the visionary capacity of the author: he foresaw 40 years in advance the tyranny, the fall of the monarchy and the rise of the Republic in Italy.
©Esperia Edizioni
Author: Thomas Henry Hall Caine Pages: 800 Year of edition: 2008 Price: 18,00 €
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