Description
Set in 1930s Ferrara, this novel follows the arrival of a new doctor whose optimism and desire to belong quickly collide with the town’s rigid social codes. When his homosexuality is exposed, his carefully constructed place in the community collapses—amplified by cruelty, public humiliation, and the betrayal of those around him. As anti-Semitism and political pressure spread, the story is reframed through the perspective of a Jewish narrator who comes to recognize how easily “neighbours” become targets, and how quickly compassion can be replaced by fear. With Bassani’s luminous, psychologically precise style, the book becomes a tragic meditation on prejudice, conformity, and the fragile moral choices that determine whether a community protects or destroys the vulnerable.
Available Editions
paperback
Penguin Books, Limited
Published Jan 1, 2012
143 pages
ISBN: 9780141938974
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Details
First Published
1958
Language
eng
Translation
From: ita
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles by Giorgio Bassani.