Gianni Rodari — The Grammarian of Fantasy
The story of an Upper Case Italian
“In a country of lies, truth is a disease.” — Gianni Rodari
Gianni Rodari. Writer, journalist, educator. First a catholic seminarian, then a communist.
The life of Gianni Rodari reveals much about him, but very little about his educational and literary genius. A genius that hops about like one of the sprites from his books that even today are reference points of children’s literature.
“Il Libro degli Errori”, “Favole al Telefono”, “La Grammatica della Fantasia”: these books that are the stronghold of his output and his method. When read as adults they act as the fuse that ignites imagination. A simplicity of style that is never superficial. Using rhyming couplets that are never banal, the language is precise, communicating narrative and laying an ethical foundation and a sense of justice without preaching or patronizing its audience.
If you think that this author is just for kids then you are doing him the greatest disservice. Gianni Rodari speaks to the child in all of us, regardless of the date on your birth certificate. And, to those of you who have not come across his work, don’t waste time. In his writing is the wisdom of great thinkers and an appreciation of the power of the imagination as an essential tool for understanding and loving life…no matter how old you are.
Unveil others Upper Case Italians here: www.ariles.it
