
The book opens with a striking proclamation that the soul is dimmed, echoing Dante's warning, and immediately plunges the listener into a restless mind that refuses to settle for simple answers. Divided into a series of short, almost musical sections, each part reads like a self‑portrait, a catalogue of books, and a series of confrontations with the world’s “false idols.” The author’s voice swings between lyrical confession and sharp polemic, challenging listeners to question the very foundations of belief, art, and identity.
As the narrative unfolds, the writer recounts his early years of fierce skepticism, the urge to fight cultural conventions, and a growing awareness of an inner void that cannot be filled by intellect alone. Hints of a turning point appear when he begins to entertain the possibility of something beyond the material, setting the stage for a profound personal transformation. Listeners will find a compelling mix of humor, self‑critique, and earnest yearning that makes the work feel both timeless and urgently contemporary.
Language
fi
Duration
~7 hours (452K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Finland: Otava, 1925.
Credits
Tapio Riikonen
Release date
2023-04-15
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1881–1956
A restless, provocative voice in modern Italian literature, he moved through philosophy, criticism, fiction, and religious writing with unusual intensity. His work is known for its sharp ideas, spiritual searching, and willingness to argue with the culture around him.
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