{"id":5899,"date":"2016-06-07T20:47:14","date_gmt":"2016-06-08T00:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=5899"},"modified":"2021-06-04T13:13:46","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T17:13:46","slug":"montalbanos-first-case-and-other-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/5899","title":{"rendered":"Montalbano’s First Case and Other Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Montalbano’s First Case and Other Stories<\/a><\/em> (2008 (except where noted) \/ 2016) Andrea Camilleri<\/a> translated by Stephen Sartarelli<\/p>\n

\"Montalbanos<\/a><\/p>\n

Montalbano\u2019s First Case
\nFifty Pairs of Hobnailed Boots
\nNeck and Neck
\nFellow Traveler
\nDress Rehearsal
\nAmore
\nThe Artist\u2019s Touch (1998)
\nMontalbano\u2019s Rice Fritters
\nAs Alice Did
\nThe Pact
\nMortally Wounded
\nCatarella Solves a Case (1999)
\nBeing Here . . .
\nSeven Mondays
\nJudicial Review
\nPessoa Maintains
\nThe Cat and the Goldfinch
\nMontalbano Says No
\nA Kidnapping
\nMontalbano Afraid (2002)
\nBetter the Darkness<\/p>\n

“Montalbano\u2019s First Case” is just that–his first case in Vig\u00e0ta. He comes to visit, and witnesses a crime and agrees (insists!) upon being a witness. It seems a small thing, but is his introduction to the city and the many characters with whom he will deal in the following years.<\/p>\n

There was one man, a little older than Montalbano, whom the inspector immediately took a liking to, Sergeant Fazio.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But never fear…<\/p>\n

\u201cthe father, Gerlando Monaco, son of Giacomo Gerlando and Elvira La Stella, was born in Vig\u00e0ta on\u2014\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, Fazio,\u201d Montalbano interrupted him, \u201cbut why are you telling me these things?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat things?\u201d Fazio asked, looking perplexed. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe father, the mother, and all the rest . . . What the hell do I care about them? I asked you to see if Rosanna\u2019s father had a criminal record and to find out what people said about him around town. Nothing more.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got a clean record,\u201d Fazio replied stiffly, putting the piece of paper back in his pocket.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And the food.<\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t very well go the whole day without eating just because the problem of Rosanna was gnawing at him. At the Trattoria San Calogero, he scarfed down some fifteen different seafood antipasti for starters, but they were so light and delicate that they seemed to enter his mouth without notice. How could he resist, especially considering he hadn\u2019t eaten anything at midday?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“Fifty Pairs of Hobnailed Boots” is story set earlier in Montalbano’s career, and I quite enjoyed it.<\/p>\n

This story is far more about the peasant than about Montalbano, although it is also a lesson to Montalbano about the people and the area to which he is assigned.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then there\u2019s the matter of the hobnailed boots. Like the ones you\u2019re wearing right now.\u201d Gaetano looked at his boots as if he were seeing them for the first time. \u201cI\u2019ve been wearing these for the past five years,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re solid shoes, good shoes. They say the ones the army gave our soldiers in Russia during the last war had soles made of cardboard. Well, these have leather soles, no doubt about it. In the years my father had remaining after he took them from the warehouse, he wore out only one pair. He was wearing them when he died in the field, turning the soil. And when I dressed him for the funeral, I gave him a new pair. That left me with forty-eight.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“Neck and Neck” brings in Dr. Pasquano.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you know that three of them were from the same gang, and only one from the enemy gang?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t. And I should add that I absolutely do not give a shit. Political leanings, religious beliefs, professional affiliations are not yet considered things to look for during an autopsy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The story is about the two area Mafia families, and the crimes and murderers that were common at the time.<\/p>\n

Dress Rehearsal is a very interesting story, and although short, one of my favorites in this collection.<\/p>\n

Amore perhaps shows why Montalbano has such a jaded view of love. Even parental love.<\/p>\n

A month after Saverio Moscato\u2019s return, Michela\u2019s mother came in to see Inspector Salvo Montalbano of Vig\u00e0ta Police. But it wasn\u2019t maternal concerns that had brought her there. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy daughter Michela missed the monthly payment she usually gives me.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“The Artist\u2019s Touch” (1998) is possibly the best mystery of the collection. A wheelchair bound artist is found dead in his home, in what looks like an elaborate suicide attempt, and although it’s not Montalbano’s case, he knew the artist and so takes an interest in the strange case.<\/p>\n

“Montalbano\u2019s Rice Fritters” is as much about Adelina and her family as about Montalbano’s love of food. It was not a favorite.<\/p>\n

“The Pact” is a short story where the cause of the murder is deep in the past. It’s an interesting look at the foolishness of vendettas and the way family hatreds went forward into the future.<\/p>\n

“Mortally Wounded” is another story I didn’t like. I disliked how the female character was portrayed, and that tainted the whole story for me.<\/p>\n

“Catarella Solves a Case” (1999)<\/p>\n

Ah, Catarella.<\/p>\n

\u201cHullo, Chief? Izzatchoo poissonally in poisson?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, Cat.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat wuz ya doin\u2019, Chief, sleepin\u2019?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cUntil a moment ago, yes, I was sleeping.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAn\u2019 now y\u2019ain\u2019t sleepin\u2019 no mores?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not sleeping anymore, Cat.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAh, good.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is that good, Cat?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cCuzzit means I dint wake yiz up, Chief.\u201d <\/p>\n

Either shoot him in the face at the first opportunity, or pretend it\u2019s nothing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But Cat really does solve the case.<\/p>\n

“Being Here . . .” is a very sad story, and another of my favorites. <\/p>\n

All things considered, this is where I spent the best years of my life\u2014 the best, yes, only because I wasn\u2019t yet acquainted with grief. Which is saying a lot.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“Seven Mondays” is another story I didn’t particularly like, because although the criminal part didn’t seem unreasonable, Montalbano’s actions towards the end of the story seemed–highly unlikely. <\/p>\n

Which is too bad, because I liked the mentions of Isaac Luria.<\/p>\n

“Judicial Review” I swear I read this story before. This is another of my favorite stories. I shan’t say anything else, since the story really needs to be read without any preconceptions.<\/p>\n

“Pessoa Maintains” is another depressing story, although good one.<\/p>\n

It made Montalbano angry whenever television reporters used the word execute to mean murder. And he also got upset with his men when they did the same. But this time he let it slide. If Fazio had let it slip out, it was because he\u2019d been shaken by that single shot to the base of the skull, coldly fired point-blank.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I like that Montalbano is so imperative about the distinction between execution and murder.<\/p>\n

“Montalbano Says No” I actually wonder whether this story unfolded this way as it was, or whether he got the idea about the end and built it up from there. I kinda hope it was the former.<\/p>\n

“A Kidnapping” was an interesting story, and I’m still not sure how I feel about the premise. I’m a big fan of redemption, but I’m not sure whether there was truly redemption here.<\/p>\n

But, there was Catarella.<\/p>\n

\u201cCatarella, I want you to do me a special, important favor.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cChief, when y\u2019ax me poissonally in poisson to do yiz a favor poissonally in poisson, yer doin\u2019 me a favor jess by axin\u2019.\u201d <\/p>\n

The baroque courtesies of Catarella.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“Montalbano Afraid” (2002) is another I didn’t especially like, but that’s mostly because I don’t like Montalbano and Livia’s relationship. <\/p>\n

The whole way there, for all those hours, Livia refused to let Montalbano drive. She wouldn\u2019t listen to reason. <\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, let me drive. Why do you want to tire yourself out?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYou said I wanted to drag you off to the mountains. Well, now let yourself be dragged and shut up.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“Better the Darkness” is a story about the past, jealousy, and the lengths to which hatreds can drive people.<\/p>\n

There were of course translator notes at the end of the book, but sadly they aren’t linked so you can jump to them while reading the story. But they’re still lovely.<\/p>\n

\u201cIbis redibis non morieris in bello\u201d: This was traditionally said to be the phrase uttered by the oracle to the soldier about to go off to war in ancient Rome. The sentence\u2019s syntax is so conceived as to create a perfect ambiguity between opposite meanings. Depending on where one inserts commas\u2014 or pauses, since Latin had no commas\u2014 the statement changes meaning. If you read it \u201cIbis, redibis, non morieris in bello,\u201d it means \u201cYou\u2019ll go, you\u2019ll come back, you\u2019ll not die in war\u201d; if you read it as \u201cIbis, redibis non, morieris in bello,\u201d it means \u201cYou\u2019ll go, you\u2019ll not come back, you\u2019ll die in war.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I quite enjoyed this collection. I am not certain that these stories would be as enjoyable to someone who hasn’t read the books, but as someone who has, I very much enjoyed seeing these glimpses of Montalbano through time.
\nRating: 8\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Published by Penguin Books<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Montalbano’s First Case and Other Stories (2008 (except where noted) \/ 2016) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli Montalbano\u2019s First Case Fifty Pairs of Hobnailed Boots Neck and Neck Fellow Traveler Dress Rehearsal Amore The Artist\u2019s Touch (1998) Montalbano\u2019s Rice Fritters As Alice Did The Pact Mortally Wounded Catarella Solves a Case (1999) Being Here […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,18,8,42,38],"tags":[94,95,54,435],"class_list":["post-5899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-8-10","category-anthology","category-mystery","category-police","category-translated","tag-andrea-camilleri","tag-inspector-montalbano","tag-italy","tag-stephen-sartarelli"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-1x9","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2998,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/2998","url_meta":{"origin":5899,"position":0},"title":"The Age of Doubt","author":"Michelle","date":"June 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The Age of Doubt (2008\/2012) Andrea Camilleri I think one of the things I like about this series is that Andrea Camilleri hasn't felt the need to rehabilitate Montalbano--he's still a bastard, and still talks without thinking, but he's also still good at his job, despite the fact he has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mystery"","block_context":{"text":"Mystery","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/mystery"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Age-Doubt.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5410,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/5410","url_meta":{"origin":5899,"position":1},"title":"A Beam of Light","author":"Michelle","date":"September 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"A Beam of Light (2012\/2015) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli The problem with the \"surprise\" in this book is that it refers to events that happened early in the series, and since that character hadn't been referred to in years, having him brought up again (when he hadn't been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mystery"","block_context":{"text":"Mystery","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/mystery"},"img":{"alt_text":"A-Beam-of-Light","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/A-Beam-of-Light.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11866,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/11866","url_meta":{"origin":5899,"position":2},"title":"Death at Sea: Montalbano’s Early Cases","author":"Michelle","date":"April 24, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Death at Sea: Montalbano's Early Cases (2014\/2018) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli These stories are set during the 80s, when Montalbano would have been in his 30s. Room Number 2 Double Investigation Death at Sea The Stolen Message The Transaction Standard Procedure The Apricot The Honest Thief There are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Death-at-Sea.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4347,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/4347","url_meta":{"origin":5899,"position":3},"title":"The Patience of the Spider","author":"Michelle","date":"January 26, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The Patience of the Spider (2004\/2007) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli This book picks up right after the events of Rounding the Mark. Monalbano has been on leave, recovering from being shot in the shoulder. Livia has come down to stay with him during his recover, so they get\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/Patience-Spider.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":899,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/899","url_meta":{"origin":5899,"position":4},"title":"The Patience of the Spider","author":"Michelle","date":"January 9, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"The Patience of the Spider (2004) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli The problem with Inspector Montalbano books is that if I pick one up, I tend to read the entire book in an evening. Which isn't so good on a week night. Montalbano is recovering from the events in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mystery"","block_context":{"text":"Mystery","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/mystery"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/Patience-Spider.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10479,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/10479","url_meta":{"origin":5899,"position":5},"title":"The Snack Thief, Audio Book","author":"Michelle","date":"April 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The Snack Thief, Audible Version (1996\/2003\/2007) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli narrated by Grover Gardner The third Inspector Montalbano book. Montalbano's relationship with Augello is quite antagonistic. 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