“Stories of people who have done something memorable not in spite of, but through a difficulty, an illness, an accident… ”
Agile, pleasant and nice book. Both in format and in content it is easily readable in an afternoon without excessive rush. Enjoyable.
We really like Bellati’s idea of collecting in a text the stories of some great names in history capable of leaving their mark despite, indeed perhaps thanks to presumed physical or mental disabilities. Deafness, malformations, stammering as primary tools on which to sharpen one’s wits and other natural gifts that nature had given him. A perfect zero sum, in which genius (or talent depends on the case) would have gone to compensate for other shortcomings.
Talent is a gift, and as such it must be trained and cultivated day after day, however hopeless, however difficult, however much a physical characteristic / impairment can make it difficult to try to be fulfilled professionally, and not only. We would like to recommend the text to young readers. An important message to believe in yourself, especially when the road is uphill, or you think you are the only one to experience a certain situation linked to more or less serious physical problems.
Although some of the stories told are already known to a wide audience, we can assure you that the pleasure of reading does not diminish. Indeed, Andrea’s narrative voice holds the reader firmly between the pages of the book. Also interesting is the author’s idea of recommending other readings, music or films at the end of each chapter in which to explore the lives of the protagonists of the individual Formidables. Times of writing, approach and subject matter have made us think that the book also lends itself to becoming a theatrical monologue.
Finally, we tell the author that we are waiting for a new series of “Formidables”, to shed new light on the stories of women and men known only superficially, or perhaps completely unknown.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Andrea Bellati, Formidables, Blonk, Milano, 2022
