The conformist by Alberto Moravia

Set in Rome, Italy.

Reread on 2019/01: https://www.instagram.com/p/BsRo5ZRHX8b/

I’m one of those who believe #moravia and particularly #theconformistshould be required reading at this point. Even if you read this masterpiece for the first time, there is inevitably a deja-vu feeling in the story. I mean how many times can people actively, knowingly and openly choose to vote or support a fascist regime or dictatorship? And because it keeps happening so often, the need to read this book becomes imperative. #albertomoravia shows his sheer genius level by concentrating on the #individual on those seemingly sporadic events forming the adult, the #frustrated man. Our basic obsession with being #normal at all costs and how much we catastrophically fail at achieving a #normallife that never existed to begin with. No one lives a normal life. What stroke me the most while #rereading The #conformist this time around is how the #marcello in the story represents what we do with that same failure at being normal: blame it on those we perceive as not being normal. Marcello and a few others like him are not only obsessed with achieving a normal life but they are equally engrossed at eliminating and suppressing those who dare to live their aberrancy and otherness. So next time someone tells you, I can’t believe how many openly voted for this dictator or how many people are in favor of oppressing such and such group, just give them this book and walk away. #highlyrecommended #rereadmarathon#roma #ilconformista #steerforthpress#rome #dictatorship #paris #mussolini#requiredreading

Reviewed on 2017/03: https://www.instagram.com/p/BR9zMIhhMVR/

Due to the disastrous political landscape in this country more than just #dystopian stories, we should also read books depicting life under past #fascist and #authoritarian regimes. #theconformist by #moravia is an outstanding example of this. Here we have a feeling of entering the main character’s brain/mind in a #microscopic and #psychoanalytic way throughout this book. It’s the ancient tale of wanting to belong and doing all it takes and at whatever costs necessary but without complete disregard of the consequences on other people. Moravia accentuates these feeling by narrating the story almost as a #factual and #cinematographic narration. The result is #eery and very close to our current reality. #highlyrecommended #albertomoravia#rome #roma #paris #sexualidentity#mussolini #italy #italianliterature#ilconformista