A novel that will touch your heart, Guido Mattioni’s Whispering Tides has the power, within its well-crafted narrative, to make the reader a protagonist, not merely a spectator, by triggering sensations that may have seemed forgotten but are like fire under the ashes, waiting for a chance to take over. The yearning for a “natural paradise governed by the breath of the tides” may at first remind us of the Yeoman’s Myth, but it really has no similarity to it. Alberto Landi, the protagonist of the story, an Italian journalist from Milan, is just trying to recreate the environment in which he lived with his recently deceased wife of 23 years by moving to the place they both loved, Savannah, Georgia. He does so in the attempt to find the peace, serenity, sense of belonging that he felt there with his wife, a somewhat futile endeavor, one would think, since that se-renity came from being with a loved one in an ideal place loved by both, and now he is alone; the story develops, instead, as a fruitful search, and Alberto seems to find all the required components for that much longed peace of mind, the tranquility he needs and wants. Savannah is his new love, and everything will be all right, or so it seems. Whispering Tides was originally published in Italian as “Ascoltavo le Maree.” The characters are detailed, well described, and gauged in their actions and motives, allowing for a pleasant reading, and the love for this Southern city is pervasive, almost obsessive. We can rightly affirm that this book is about love: love for a city, love for a partner, love for a way of life, and love for all the small things that make life worth living. The writer conveys his thoughts and feelings effectively and convincingly, making this book a certain winner. Born in Udine, Italy, in 1952, Guido Mattioni has lived and worked in Milan since 1978. Writing has always been his job and his life. Over 33 years in journalism, he has worked for daily newspapers and weekly and monthly magazines, holding almost every professional title, from reporter to editor-in-chief and deputy editor to special correspondent. He has traveled all over the world, especially in the USA, where he has visited almost every state. When he was younger, he wrote two non-fiction works. Whispering Tides is his first novel, and it is also available in Italian as Ascoltavo le maree. If he could be reincarnated, he would like to be a chef because cooking is his favorite pastime. He is an atypical Italian because he suffers from an incurable allergy to soccer
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