Luigi Guarnieri enlightens by a new perspective an incredible love triangle, involving Robert Schumann, his wife Clara Wieck and Johannes Brahms. He takes a fascinating picture of the world of nineteenth century Romantic music, touching on the deepest questions of our lives—craziness, death, happiness, family, friendship and love.
Düsseldorf, September 1853. A twenty year old musician comes to the door of a house on the Bilkerstrasse. There lives the composer Robert Schumann with his wife Clara Wieck, one of the finest pianist of the day, and their six children. He is a silent traveler, fair and angelic: his name is Johannes Brahms, and since their first encounter the Schumanns become the center of his life, the first supporters of his talent, his real family. Forty-three years after that decisive day in the existence of all three, back in Vienna from a painful journey to be present at Clara’s funeral, Johannes writes a long letter, the last one—a sort of confession—to his beloved friend. He retraces the steps of their unique relationship, exclusive, ambiguous as well as cruel, even more peculiar after Robert’s descent into madness and his death in a mental hospital.
Awards
Premio Bagutta Opera Prima 2000 for L’atlante criminale
Premio Selezione Campiello 2004 for La doppia vita di Veermer
Premio Grinzane Cavour 2009 for I sentieri del cielo
Luigi Guarnieri
Luigi Guarnieri was born and lives in Rome. Doctor of Human Letters at the University of Pisa and with a diploma from the Experimental Cinematography Centre in Rome, he wrote many theater and radio plays. He is the author of novels translated in many countries: L’atlante criminale. Vita scriteriata di Cesare Lombroso (2000), Tenebre sul Congo (2001), La doppia vita di Vermeer (2004), La sposa ebrea (2006), I sentieri del cielo (2008) and Una strana storia d’amore (2011), Il sosia di Hitler (2014), Forsennatamente Mr Foscolo (2018). His most recent novel is Il segreto di Lucia Joyce (2022).
- Il segreto di Lucia Joyce (Lucia Joyce’s Secret)
- Forsennatamente Mr Foscolo (Furiously Mr Foscolo)
- Il sosia di Hitler (Hitler’s Double)
- Una strana storia d’amore (A Strange Love Story)
Foreign rights sold in
France: Actes Sud
Rights of previous novels sold to
France: Actes Sud
Germany: Antje Kunstmann
Russia: Colibrì
Poland: Rebis
Portugal: Editorial Presenca
Romania: Grupul Editorial RAO
Serbia: Laguna
South Korea: Dodream