With “L-Onorevoli”, author, economist and politician Lino Spiteri collects his finest political novellas in a single volume, due to be launched tomorrow at the annual Book Fair in Valletta.
The short stories first appeared scattered in Spiteri’s seven literary collections, published during the last 40 years. This collection sees them revised and offered to the public as a complete text that runs parallel to his already published memoirs, “Jien u Għaddej fil-Politika.”
But the book does not focus solely on the “Onorevoli” associated with the House of Representatives, of which he was a member for a total of 21 years, having been first elected at the age of 23. In “L-Onorevoli”, Spiteri also gives life and personality to the anonymous people that the politician encounters during house visits or in his office. These in fact populate the short stories.
The limelight falls on the pensioner who cannot understand why she has to be burdened by “intaks”; the sickly person who is worried that her neighbours might intend to burn her as they burn rats; the old woman who becomes ecstatic at the thought of having her name on the telephone directory for the whole world to see; the aged widow intent on being buried close to her favourite Parliamentary Deputy; the wife of a redundant worker, who lost his job to a surveillance camera; and the man who lived in a derelict house but wanted nothing from the Minister except his willingness to enter his home and accept a drink.
L-Onorevoli is due to be launched in Vassalli Hall at the Mediterranean Conference Centre tomorrow Thursday, 15 November, at 6.30 pm. Mr George Peresso and Dr Carmen Sammut will be sharing their comments about the anthology, and excerpts will be read by Mrs Matilde Balzan Cordina. The panel will be coordinated by Mr Charles Abela Mizzi.
Printed by PEG Ltd, with a cover design by Pierre Portelli, the book will be on sale on the night at a reduced price.