In Calabria

By: Peter S. Beagle

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 3 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Claudio Bianchi has lived alone for many years on a hillside in Southern Italy's scenic Calabria. Set in his ways and suspicious of outsiders, Claudio has always resisted change, preferring farming and writing poetry. But one chilly morning, as though from a dream, an impossible visitor appears at the farm. When Claudio comes to her aid, an act of kindness throws his world into chaos. Suddenly he must stave off inquisitive onlookers, invasive media, and even more sinister influences.

Lyrical, gripping, and wise, In Calabria confirms Peter S. Beagle's continuing legacy as one of fantasy's most legendary authors.

©2017 Peter S. Beagle (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Transcendent, startlingly, soul-searingly beautiful

This miracle of a novella was nothing I expected.

I purchased it for its title, knew little of the plot other than a curmudgeon on his farm in Calabria.

The story was magically crafted, the narrator perfect, the fusion of reality and the fantastic touchingly done.

The tale is founded in love, on forgiveness, on courage in the most exotic and mundane events of life.

Amazing.

Solid Read

Excellent story. It was well put together, nice character development, unique perspective, and relatable. I sincerely enjoyed it. The narrator especially did a nice job. I'm looking forward to reading The Last Unicorn even more now after reading this.

Incredible

I don’t think there was a single wasted word here. I loved everything about it. Short but very rich in every was. I was mesmerized.

Beautiful short story

A brief visit to the Italian countryside where you meet an ordinary man with the most extraordinary visitor. Listening to this story is like enjoying a slice of crispy warm bread, fresh from the oven, dipped in aged olive oil and sea salt enjoyed with a glass of hearty red with a sprinkle of magic.

Beautiful, joyful, somber, funny

Couldnt ask for more in a book. Author of the last unicorn writes a story about a unicorn that is quite different to that. Excellent naration.

Like a dream

This author's writing style is like a refreshing vacation from the high energy action of the common book. At first I listened with the intention of turning off the book and not completing it should it become too sad as The Last Unicorn movie felt to me when I was a child. But listening to this book in my forties is like salve to my soul. I sometimes became confused by the variety of Italian names, but this was no fault of the author's who spent entertaining moments introducing characters with their names and some memorable bits. Seeing unicorns through the eyes of an Italian farmer who feels older than his years and knows he has no immortality. His unabashed opinions of the world outside his travels was entertaining and at times made me think. His thoughtfulness for his own animals and the wild animals that lived on his acreage was charming and made me wish to know this man who knew kindness and had a heart hard to find in this world. His interactions with the few other townspeople gave his character depth and drew a nice map of his countryside. At the beginning of the book, as I wrote, I was hesitant, but at the end of the book I was eager to know more of the story. I like the way the author ended the book, not leaving me feeling like it had been rushed or slowed too much. I would read more by this author. When you need a book to bring you to the Italian countryside away from your own hustle and bustle, read and or listen to this.

Magic Lives in Calabria

Totally captivating! Peter S. Beagle takes you on a journey you'll never return home from.

Catches you.

The beginning is slow but it slowly draws you in and makes it so you can’t put it down. Great reader, definitely creates the mood but doesn’t lose you in over-dramatization. Highly recommend.

Middle of the road read

This was an odd one. The narration made it that way, I think. He voiced the main character like he was 80, not in his 40s, so when the romance came along it felt really inappropriate, and I was so distracted by that I had to go back to the beginning to figure out how old he really was. Then the mafia… it was just an odd book, and the unicorns seemed a strange piece of it all. Not bad if you want something short and feel good by the end.

Good story

Good story and different in a good way. However I must protest the vast age difference in the couple in this book as it seems to have been forced for the sake of the main character. Do better male authors.