Kennard, Joseph Spencer. Italian romance writers. **$2. Brentano’s.
A well-wrought introduction furnishes an outline of the history of modern story telling, discusses the various early types of fiction and finally Italian tendencies and ideals. Then follows chapters upon Alexander Manzoni, Massimo Taparelli D’Azeglio, Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi, Tommaso Grossi, Ippolito Nievo, Edmondo De Amicis, Antonio Fogazzaro, Giovanni Verga, Matilde Serao, Federigo De Roberto, Anna Neera, Grazia Deledda, Enrico Annibale Butti, and Gabbriele D’Annunzio, which give something of the authors and much of the characters they created. The volume will serve as a pleasing commentary to students of modern Italian literature, and will prove an interesting source of enlightenment to all who have not time for further study.
“It is a pity, however, that American readers could not have been presented with a version in less ‘rocky’ English than the present one.”
+ – Dial. 41: 42. Jl. 16, ’06. 290w.
“Mr. Kennard had evidently read widely and thought earnestly before formulating his opinions. But he seems incapable of expressing opinions simply, plainly or convincingly. At its best his style is hardly brilliant. At its worst it is intolerable.”
+ + – Ind. 61: 458. Ag. 23, ’06. 1250w. Lit. D. 32: 936. Je. 23, ’06. 1190w.
“Notwithstanding repeated evidences of haste or carelessness in the execution, we maintain that the work is a good and useful introduction to the study of modern Italian fiction.”
+ + – Nation. 83: 263. S. 27, ’06. 1460w.
“While not a profound or final treatise, is a pleasing, diffuse book, crowded with information, and worth the study.” James Huneker.