
A lyrical tapestry of memory and imagination, this collection weaves together the tender adventures of a young boy, the quiet musings of a girl named Susanna, and a narrator’s reflective wanderings through the middle of life. The first section offers whimsical sketches—ghostly encounters, a mysterious white‑clad woman, and a garden of grapes—that capture the wonder of early years with a gentle, almost fairy‑tale tone.
Interlaced with these stories is a meditative voice that recalls Dante’s famous line, “Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita,” and uses it to explore the passage of time, the fleeting nature of dreams, and the quiet comforts of night. The narrator’s reverie, set by a crackling fire, invites listeners to pause and listen to the soft echo of childhood recollections and the subtle hum of everyday wonders.
Through its delicate prose and thoughtful observations, the work balances humor, melancholy, and a deep affection for the ordinary moments that become the treasured chapters of a life lived fully.
Language
fi
Duration
~5 hours (291K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Tuula Temonen and Tapio Riikonen
Release date
2021-04-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1844–1924
A witty, skeptical voice of French literature, he turned elegance and irony into tools for questioning power, faith, and human folly. Winner of the 1921 Nobel Prize in Literature, he remains known for writing that feels both graceful and sharp.
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