Adventures of Pinocchio

21th century culture tends to bury and purge anything that, for adults, is terrible, erotic or cruel, as it is death. In consequence we have books that are condescending toward them, and inversely adults whose belief is that being mature means to be exposed to that eroticism, to gore or blood. That is not adult: is immature.Although I loved so much the Disney version (and I still love it) I am sure I had loved far more this book if I had read it when kid as I love it more now that I have finished to read it. I know many parents will think some images are quite adult for a kid (as Pinocchio killing by chance the talking cricket, throwing him a hammer) but it would be a wrong approach that only draws exaggerated attention to violence as something glamorous, those kids afterwards will be teens ravenous for violent video games. Pinocchio is not a bad boy/marionette, he has just a conflict of natural tendencies (as playing) against necessary societal requirements (as studying) to help him when he reach adulthood. Sadly in this world as in Pinocchio's world there are those that take advantage of children to take from them what they could not get with honest effort. Is not that Pinocchio or any kid is dumb, is that bad adults that failed in their lives think they can take advantage of beings that are not their peers neither in experience nor in fearlessness to cheat and to scam. Through a long journey Pinocchio learns to be happy but, as in real life, the consequences of everything he did are not erased. One thing I have to say as an adult is that sadly this modern world is a bit different of the one in Pinocchio. Sadly now the promise of superior education is more a scam to get customers for unscrupulous universities that in many cases know that their degrees are worthless, or this trend of only allowing work for people with contacts while exploiting in exchange of nothing high skilled professionals. I'd say in these modern times (of I.A.s, automatic algorithms and products made in foreign factories) education and work is good, but much education is worthless and much work for little payment is just an euphemism of slavery for vast corporations.About the AmazonClassics Edition... I love the minimal design, correct format and contemporary typography. The X-Ray function is minimal but is there. I really love a lot that the work of the creators is not tainted by intellectuals, but is pure, and only a succinct biography at the end of the author and, in this book, of the translator. The translator is quite warm and transmits a tenderness that I really feel is in the original. I think these AmazonClassic editions are the best ones among public domain editions.

A booklist blog that I read recommended this original version of the story of Pinocchio, published in 1883. It's very much different (and better) than the Disney cartoon we all grew up with.The very first scene had me laughing out loud as Geppetto and a shop owner brawled.This original version is more graphic and violent than the children's version. For example (spoiler alert!), the talking cricket that Walt Disney lovingly named 'Jiminy' only lasted a page and a half before Pinocchio killed it with a hammer. And in another scene (big spoiler alert!) Pinocchio is hiding four gold pieces in his mouth while the cat and fox try to pry it open with a knife. The puppet bites the cats paw off and spits it on the ground.There are so many good lessons to be found in this story. Taken as a whole, we see a model of maturity. Pinocchio is a bad boy, but as he goes through life he takes note of the lessons around him. By the end of the book, he's accountable and responsible for caring for his father and the fairy. He does so by working extra hours and earning more money.

I haven’t seen the Disney version of _Pinocchio_ (1940) as an adult. In my memory, it is a sad, dark film. There must have been happy moments, and a happy ending, but I have retained only those moments when Pinocchio is punished and humiliated. This shouldn’t be surprising; after all, the main purpose of the story is to teach children that they should be obedient and that they should not give in to low impulses or peer pressure. In any case, it took me years to pick up a copy of the book. I have finally read it, and I now realize there is much more to this story than meets the eye. Even the overall moral is more complex than I had realized._The Adventures of Pinocchio_ (1883) is the kind of book that needs no description. Everyone knows the story: a kind woodcarver makes a puppet that comes alive only to misbehave and suffer the consequences. Contrary to my impression of the protagonist before I read the story, Pinocchio is not necessarily bad; it seems to me that he is all too human, more human than he realizes. He is tempted many times along the way, but his weakness is understandable. The Marionette Theater promises entertainment; the Fox and the Cat promise him a fortune; Lamp-Wick promises a life of leisure in the Land of Toys. The real world, on the other hand, offers toil and trouble.Pinocchio is a puppet both in the literal and the figurative sense: he is easy to manipulate because he lacks willpower. The Talking Cricket is the voice of conscience, but it is external. Collodi’s novel traces the journey from puppet to human being, which is complete when the voice of conscience has been developed and united to the person. This is done with the help of the Fairy, who is a mother figure. Hence both the Fairy and the Cricket have exited the scene before the story ends; they are no longer necessary.I would describe _Pinocchio_ as a bildungsroman for children. “Bildung” means education, formation, and it sounds very similar to “building.” Collodi’s novel suggests that as long as one has not developed a conscience and a strong sense of individuality, one is not truly free. This is a timeless issue. Peer pressure is a big problem in our society, and one need only look around to see how it affects not only children and adolescents, but also adults. How many adults in our society can truthfully claim to think and act freely? According to Collodi, one is truly free only when one has developed the ability to make decisions after carefully considering their possible consequences. Pinocchio becomes human once he learns to think for himself and act according to a clear vision of the potential results of his actions. Work and self-sacrifice are also important, Pinocchio learns, as ways to give meaning to our lives. What we have here is, in many ways, an existentialist text._Pinocchio_ depicts the human condition in all its harshness and fragility. Poverty is a reality, and danger is always around the corner. Verismo was en vogue when the novel was published, and it is no coincidence that neorealism originated in Italy. The novel also features social commentary and satire; consider, for instance, the portrayal of physicians (the Crow and the Owl, with their conflicting diagnoses) and of the justice system (the judge, a gorilla, imprisons Pinocchio because he is innocent, and sets him free when the puppet pronounces himself a thief). Pinocchio nevertheless desires to be human: the novel is, in spite of all, life-affirming. I was reminded of Steven Spielberg’s 2001 film _A.I. Artificial Intelligence_, an obvious metatext, even a re-imagining, of Collodi’s novel. There are also the androids of _Blade Runner 2049_ (Denis Villeneuve, 2017), who wish they could be human (or even “more human than human”), and the holographic Joi, who would like to die for K, “like a real girl.”Right after I finished the novel, I watched Matteo Garrone’s 2019 film adaptation, starring the hilarious Roberto Benigni as Geppetto. The movie’s imdb rating does not do justice to it. It is a visually stunning adaptation that follows the text quite closely. Some images are quite bizarre, and the atmosphere is rather dark, but this reflects the source material. I highly recommend this film, and Garrone’s interpretation of some of Giambattista Basile’s dark stories, _Tale of Tales_ (2015). I intent to re-watch the Disney movie tomorrow. And of course, we shall see what next year brings: two adaptations, by Guillermo del Toro and Robert Zemeckis (the latter for Disney), are set for release in 2022._The Adventures of Pinocchio_ is highly relevant, unforgettable, and thoroughly enjoyable. I wish I had read it earlier, but then, I do believe some books come to our lives at the moment when we are ready for them.Next on my list, another book about growing up: _Peter Pan_ (1911), by J. M. Barrie.Thanks for reading, and enjoy the book!

Bottom line is this is a disappointing piece of junk, not only printed by the country where once upon a time junk was a boat, but it also seems as though someone there may have done the choppy translation.While this is a hardcover, it is a mere 6-1/4 inches high by 4 inches wide, about the size of a pulp paperback, and the print is relatively small.This one went in the trash while I bought a real used hardcover copy, translated by Carol Della Chiesa and with original illustrations by Attilio Mussino.Don't waste your money on this version.

To be honest, I struggled with this book. I found the main character incredibly frustrating. He almost always did the wrong thing. I mean, almost ALWAYS. Well, people sometimes do (including me!), but what he does is also almost always incredibly stupid. Well, again, people do stupid things (including me!), and the main character is, after all, a puppet who is only moments old at the beginning of the book, so how is he to know better? Fair question, but still, I found the book hard work. He just did not seem to learn from his mistakes.Admittedly, the dire catalogue of largely self-inflicted misadventures does make the ending all the more touching and satisfying. If you can make it that far.The thing that struck me most about the book was actually the strong pro-life message it sends. A man gets a log of firewood out of which to carve a puppet. Said puppet promptly—and unexpectedly—comes to life. The man unhesitatingly regards the puppet as his son, and right from the get up and go begins to sacrifice his own needs and comforts for the puppet’s well-being and advancement. He continues to do so throughout the entire book, despite the puppet turning out to be one of the most foolish, thoughtless, and selfish sons imaginable. Regardless, the man remains unwavering in love for his unplanned child, showing a perfect example of what a good father (or mother) should be.Perhaps it says something about our time—and the time in which the book was written—that this should strike me so. When the book was written, an unexpected pregnancy was an unexpected baby, no question. Nowadays only expected pregnancies are ‘babies’, unexpected ones are merely ‘tissue’ that can be disposed of. If Pinocchio was written today, it might well be a much shorter book. The old wood carver would probably be shown terminating his unexpected responsibilities by putting the mere ‘wood’ straight on the fire the moment it began to—oh so inconveniently—move.

When Carlo Colldi (the pen name of Carlo Lorenzini) wrote this little did he know that his fairy tale would be still read all over the world and enjoyed by millions, appearing in cartoons and films as well as the original story for all this length of time. I must admit that I have never seen the well know Disney film, I have only ever read the book. So seeing this title was available for the kindle, and not have reading it in I don't know how many years, I decided it was high time I read it again.Who doesn't know the basic story of Pinocchio? But - have you ever read the original either to yourself, or to your children? Pinocchio gets into lots of high jinks after he is first made, but ultimately his heart is in the right place. But only with putting childish things behind him, accepting duty and getting on in life can he progress. This is a great tale for children, but it is also still as good to read as an adult. Filled with animals that can talk, other puppets like Pinocchio, and a fairy, there is just so much to take in. So treat yourself and read a nice little magical fantasy filled with humour and adventure.I should warn you that this review is for the kindle popular classics edition, which is always free. Therefore this although not containing illustrations does have the picture number and such like appearing in the text in bold letters. To be honest this shouldn’t in anyway interfere with your reading pleasure, it is just a bit annoying that no one went through the text to remove it.

Such a fantastic story. Funny, sad, theatrical, and gripping at the same time. I read this to my 6 year old son one chapter a day and he always looks forward to the next! The language used in this book is not too mature or complex compared to some other old children's stories written in bygone eras, so very accessible even for young children. Only thing is it can seem a bit preachy at times, but not overly done and the entertainment value of the twists and turns in the plot more than makes up for it all!

Beautifully illustrated. I have the whole collection of books illustrated by R. Ingpen and I just LOVE them. It is my greatest pleasure to read them to my kids and I am enjoying them over and over again thanks to the beautiful editions. I do own many different editions of all the classic stories but this one is the best. I hope to read it to my grandchildren in the future.

Bought this after a trip to Florence - children have enjoyed listening to this old classic