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10. The Man or the Woman
- Southern Illinois University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
• MORE OBVIOUSLY THAN LETTER TO A Child Never Born, Un uomo demonstrates Fallaci's conjoining of journalism, fiction, and autobiography. The 1979 book also widened the rift between the author and translators. Fallaci had first wanted John Shepley to translate Un uomo into the English A Man and to capture the Oracle-at-Delphi quality of Alekos Panagoulis's voice. But then her editor called Shepley to inform him that Simon and Schuster had big publicity plans for the novel and that they would choose a famous translator. They picked the "king of Italian translators," William Weaver. Shepley, though disappointed, was willing to absolve Fallaci of blame and to attribute his dismissal to the insistence of her editor. He did not go so far as to accuse her of reneging on her promise, but when he mentioned it in a phone conversation- "I understand you want a big-name translator"-she replie'd coolly that she did not need a translator 's name to sell her books.1 This conversation marked the beginning of the end of Shepley's rapport with the writer. Around that same time, Shepley had agreed to translate Enzo Siciliano's biography of Pier Paolo Pasolini. Since Fallaci had not acknowledged re176 THE MAN OR TIJE WOMAN 177 sponsibilily for eh'opping him, she might have expressed satisfaction that he had found another important project to replace her own. Instead, she strenuously objected, even though Siciliano is considered a serious writer-critic in Italy. According to Shepley, Fallacl disliked the way Siciliano had used her interview with Pasolini and expressed no happiness for the translator's acquisition of a prestigious contract. As Shepley explained, she cursed Siciliano and ahsolutely did not want to see his book translated into English by anyone . Nevcrtheless, Shepley went ahead and honored his agreement with Siciliano. The hiography of Pasolini was published by Random House in 1982.2 When Fallaci began to write A Man in 1976, she still felt allegiance to journalism, hut a series of events helped sever formal ties with ~'lll'Opeo. Her lover, Alekos Panagmtiis, died under suspicious circumstances in May of that year. Then her mother, Tosca, fought a long, agonizing, losing battle with cancer. After losing tlle most important people in her life, she took stock of her age, which was then over forty, and wondered whether to continue to dedicate herself in such a passionate manner to a profession entered as a compromise. In the midst of this soul-semching, the directors of Elll'OpeO initiated a new set of policies that disgusted Fallaci. What used to be one of Europe's most serious pllblications became sensational: bare breasts and buttocks , pubic hail', nude women in n1ms' wimples, and naked couples on automobile seals. ("It was like seeing a body smeared with shit. The body of Europeo, the journal to which I had given my life. ,,3 In addition, Europeo replaced Tommaso Giglio with another editor in 1976. Fullaci regmded the sudden termination of tIris erudite, highly respected pl'Ofessional as unjust. She resigned in protest and witheh'ew to her country home at Grevi in Chianti to compose her book about Panagoulis. Having decided to quit her job, she devoted herself to the writing of her book with 1mprececlented discipline, laboring for tln'ee and one-half yems. "I wouldn't even answer the phone; I didn't even hear it. I went on and 011, isolated in myself. No food, no talk, no interruptions.,,4 In the evening, she ate very little; smoking sixty cigarettes a day killed all desire for nourishment . Afterwards, she watched some television (she always appreciated a good Western) and ended the clay with a newscast. "When I would at last go to bed., I'd iluHm' from insomnia, 1Ulable to stop thinking about the book. Even in sleep, I would go all eh-eaming about the book."5 The routine sometimes proved frustrating. Seeing that Mao Zeclong had died, that elections were taking place in America, and that Vietnam had invaded Cambodia, she [18.206.12.31] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 17:11 GMT) 178 THE MAN OR TI-IE WOMAN wanted to witness the electoral results 01' travel to the Far East. "It was the life of Tantalus. But I couldn't do any of it-the book had to come first."6 Living only for Alekos Panagoulis, she committed her whole being to completing her task. "It is my death because each day it...