Review: Storie dimenticate. Per una geografia segreta del Ticino

Storie dimenticate. Per una geografia segreta del Ticino by Carlo Silini
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a gem of a book. Having grown up in Ticino, I was still completely ignorant about almost every story in this book, and many of them are quite interesting.

From the village being slowly uncovered in Tremona, to the large quarries in Mendrisiotto, to the story of the Ciani brothers, to the witch trials in Val di Blenio, to the "sculpture town" of Ligornetto, to discovering Faido was all posh during the Belle Epoque, to reading about the various plans Italy had to invade Switzerland, and Switzerland had to invade Italy(!), to learning about that weird castle in Torricella, to learning about gay art in the 1930s, to reading more about the Sanitorium in Agra, to the origin of the Jewish cemetery I would always drive by on the highway there in Lugano Sud.

I do wish they had something about the Castle of Trevano. I'm still wondering what that was about and why they demolished it.

But regardless, 5 stars.



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Review: Wild Animal

Wild Animal by Joël Dicker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fast-paced, intricate, and always good to read thrillers taking place in Switzerland.


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Review: Lugano la bella sconosciuta. Una città inaspettata e curiosa

Lugano la bella sconosciuta. Una città inaspettata e curiosa by Jonas Marti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An excellent book that needed to be written. Now I hope someone (this same author?) writes one for the rest of Ticino. 

I'm only giving it 4 stars, however, because I feel like some things were missing. The Last supper of Ponte Capriasca seems worth mentioning (I take all my friends who visit to go see it): https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_Cena_(Ponte_Capriasca)

as well as the old Principessa Sissi statue that used to be behind Farmacia Vittoria, in Piazza Indipendenza. I never knew why the statue was there, and then one day they took it away. I also feel like there are a few stories from Canobbio (where I grew up) that could have been included. 

Also, so much talk about how splendid the Castello di Trevano was, and then just mentioning that it was demolished in 1961. I have figured out why they would have demolished it. Especially just to create the prison-like middle school and high school I attended. What a waste...

Anyway, an excellent trip around the Luganese and the history of the region. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the region. 

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Review: I castelli di Bellinzona

I castelli di Bellinzona by Werner Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another book I'm reading to prepare for future travel. Obviously, having lived right next door, I've been to these castles many times. Still, I took some interesting notes:

"Until the 15th century, the Lago Verbano was navigable clear until Bellinzona, and there was a small port next to one of the towers of the wall.

The three castles were divided, in 1506, between cantons, and we called the castles of Uri, Schwiez and Unterwalden.

Castelgrande didn't have the empty space in it before, and had many more buildings contained inside

Castelgrande has also been called: Castello vecchio, castello d'Uri, Castello di S. Michele

Castello di Montebello has also been called: Castello piccolo, nuovo, or di mezzo, Castello di Svitto, Castello di S. Martino

Castello di Sasso Corbaro has also been called: Castello d'Untervaldo, Castello di S. Barbara.

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Review: Voyage pittoresque en Suisse Romande en Savoie et sur les Alpes

Voyage pittoresque en Suisse Romande en Savoie et sur les Alpes by Emile Béguin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having grown up in Ticino, I learned about the local history, as well as Swiss-german history here and there, but this book taught me more about Swiss-French history than I ever learned in school (Calvin notwithstanding).

There were some odd typos in this book, starting with the author's name (Bégin, although even in the preface it calls him Béguin). Also, "Chateau des Vidames" instead of "Chateau des Vidomnes" in Sierre.

Also, many, if not most, of the places mentioned in the book are long-gone by now (I hadn't realized this book was written in 1852). For example, he recommended meandering around the Parc du Bois-de-la-Batie, where you can stumble upon medieval ruins. Unfortunately now it is an animal park with goats and geese. And for some reason I couldn't find any mont Alire, Oculus Helvetiae, or Paqui (all p.188). Also no chateau de Saint-Jean. (p. 276)

Some interesting tidbits:
In 1479 a swarm of 'beetles' (probably actually cicadas or locusts) plagued Lausanne and its surroundings, destroying much of the vegetation. So they were tried in court and excommunicated. Apparently this didn't do much to drive them away.

Avenche has quite a history, including having been the capital of the Helvetii(??)

A bridge to connect the two sides of Fribourg was only built in 1834 (construction started in 1832)
Apparently the Swiss used to kneel and pray on the battlefield before battle, and at least once this confused the Burgundians (Battle of Grandson), who thought they were surrendering. Burgundy lost that battle.

Linguistic tidbits:
In the patois of Charmney they apparently call a lover 'merchant', which seems to come from the word "merch" which means woman in Celtic.
Why does he refer to Neuchatel as Neufchatel throughout the book?
This is supposedly in Fribourg dialect: "Quan l'è-s-aoutrou mezéron, no voiterin
Quan l'è-s-aoutrou riretron, no plioterin" (p. 200)

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Review: The Bridegroom Was a Dog

The Bridegroom Was a Dog by Yōko Tawada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING AND IT WAS SO WEIRD BUT I THINK I ENJOYED IT BUT I'M NOT SURE.

The first one "The Bridegroom was a dog" made no sense to me. The second story "Missing heels" just seemed like one long dream, while the last one, "The Gotthard Railway", was my favorite since it talked about places I know and love.

Just like with "Memoirs of a Polar Bear", I'd give these somewhere between 1 and 5 stars. Rounding up to 4 stars this time because she mentioned Ticino and the Gotthard tunnel.

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Review: 20 Racconti Ticinesi

20 Racconti Ticinesi by Various
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Quasi più interessante come documento storico che come collezione di racconti. Linguaggio un po' all'antica, raccontano storie dei primi '900.

Le mie preferite:

Silenzio, di Francesco Chiesa
Valzer di Strauss, di Piero Bianconi
Il maschio, di Angela Musso-Bocca
La Giostra, di Pericle Patocchi
Le buche delle cune, di Annina Volonterio

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Review: Sankt Gallen und Italien / San gallo e L'Italia

Sankt Gallen und Italien / San gallo e L'Italia by Gian Carlo Alessio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"Una volta entrato nel bagno il (supposto) paralitico avverte che l'acqua è troppo calda: sicché si rivolge al domestico nella sua lingua dicendogli che "Cald est, cald est"; ma il primo, di lingua tedesca, traduce in "Kalt est", cioè in "è fredda" ed aggiunge ripetutamente acqua bollente sinché il paralitico non schizza fuori dal bagno..."
Una storiella scritta attorno al 1200 da Ekkeardo I.

Una collezione di testi, 3 in italiano e 3 in tedesco (ognuno con riassunto nell'altra lingua). Un po' monotona, ma anche informativa. Il libro l'ho comprato nella biblioteca abbaziale di San Gallo.

A collection of essays, 3 in Italian and 3 in German (each one with a summary in the other language at the end). A bit monotonous but also informative from time to time.

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Review: Il giudice e il suo boia

Il giudice e il suo boia by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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