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#1042 - Hella Haasse - "L'anello della chiave"

·15 min·1 clip

Gianluigi Coltri introduces Hella Haasse, the 'Gran Dama' of Dutch literature, whose final novel explores colonial Indonesia.

Gianluigi Coltri hosts episode 1042 of Orecchie e Segnalibri, focusing on Dutch author Hella Haasse. He introduces Haasse as the 'Gran Dama' of Dutch literature, little-known in Italy but beloved in her homeland. The episode centers on her final novel, 'L'anello della chiave', published in 2002 and translated into Italian by Franco Paris for Iperborea in 2006. Coltri reads the incipit, where journalist Bart Moorland writes to Herma Varner, seeking information about Mila Vyshinska, a missing activist in Southeast Asia. The novel unfolds through Herma's recollections, triggered by Moorland's persistent letters. It traces her childhood friendship with Mila in Batavia, Indonesia, during Dutch colonial rule. The story spans historical events, including Japanese occupation during WWII, Sukarno's rise to power, and post-colonial modernization. Themes of ethnic roots, cultural mixing, and Islamization are explored, with Indonesia's transformation to a majority-Muslim nation noted. Coltri describes the novel's structure as a recollection, with Moorland helping Herma unearth buried memories. He highlights Haasse's personal connection to Indonesia, having been born there and drawing on its landscapes and traditions. The title refers to a chest of memories whose key is lost, symbolizing Herma's struggle to access the past. Coltri praises Haasse's narrative mastery, noting she wrote the novel at age 82, similar to her protagonist. He credits Iperborea for publishing Haasse's work in Italy, making it accessible to Italian audiences. Coltri shares his personal discovery of Haasse 25 years ago through 'Le vie dell'immaginazione', another novel published by Iperborea. He mentions a review by Serena Zoli that attracted him to Haasse's work. The episode concludes with Coltri thanking listeners and promoting the podcast's archive on platforms like Spreaker and Spotify. Overall, it provides a detailed analysis of Haasse's novel, its historical context, and its reception in Italy.

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