FromCesarePavese’snovel"LaBellaEstate"publishedin1949byEinaudi.It’s1938andwe’reinTurin.Giniaissixteenyearsold,andthefutureseemstoofferendlesspossibilities.Butherpresent,likethatofothers,isovershadowedbytheSecondWorldWar.Likeeveryone,Giniawantstofallinlove,andshefindshermaninayoungpainter.ShediscoverstheartisticcirclesofbohemianTurinthankstoherguideAmelia,asensualandprovocativeyoungwomanwho’sbarelyolderthanGiniabutissoverydifferentfromanyoneelseshe’severmetandisreadytoshakeupGinia’smanyconvictions.Tornbetweenasenseofdutyandthediscoveryofadesirewhichconfusesher,Giniaisoverwhelmedbyemotionswhichshedoesn’tdaregiveanameto.Duringher“beautifulsummer”,shefinallysuccumbstoherfeelings,celebratinghercouragetobeherself.……
