The works of Paolo Cognetti, or In praise of the wild boy

Abstract

The author examines works by Paolo Cognetti in light of the myth he has created about a wild boy from the Alps and the wise mountain folk inhabiting various corners of the world. The myth, including the appeal to return to one's roots, to life in harmony with nature, has resonated with many people who are feeling out of place in modern urban civilisation. At the same time, Cognetti has developed his distinctive poetics by combining traditions of the American short story and those of Italian prose and by proposing a compelling stylistic ideal. The article dwells on the origins of Cognetti's writing, its defining features and Italian as well as foreign influences on his works. Cognetti's principal work, the novel The Eight Mountains [Le otto montagne], is analysed along with autobiographical stories The Wild Boy: A Memoir [Il ragazzo selvatico. Quaderno di montagna] and Without Ever Reaching the Summit: A Himalayan Journey [Senza mai arrivare in cima: Viaggio in Himalaya]. The myth of a savage and idealisation of the past help to explain Cognetti's popularity and the fact that he has lent his voice to a whole generation.