The Moro Affair by Leonardo Sciascia - A review
Coming in at under 120 pages, ‘The Moro Affair’ by Sicilian writer, essayist and politician, Leonardo Sciascia packs a lot of information and interpretation into its slim frame.
Having only really known him for his fiction work, I was surprised to learn that Sciascia played a crucial role in the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry for the Via Fani crime (in which Moro was taken and his five guards killed) and the subsequent kidnapping and killing of Aldo Moro, with this experience giving him a uniquely position from which to write this book.
However, ‘The Moro Affair’ is not historical reportage as you might expect, but a dive into the events, the actions and reactions of the key players and perhaps most uniquely the wording used in communications and what it could mean beyond the ink on the page. This is interesting to read and to learn that while the communiques of the Red Brigades were analysed, the letters of Moro were not. Instead, they presented, alongside other instances, to show that the ‘old’ Moro was already dead and that only his body remained alive.
The insights and potential interpretations Sciascia puts forward are fascinating, and while careful not to commit opinion as fact, he does openly state possibilities (such as that of American interference, which was shown much later a factor to some extent), which opens up discussions and invites the reader to take part in the conversation (well as much as a book can).
Onto the writing itself, as mentioned this isn’t just reportage of the type that you would expect from a more commercial (in terms of sales interest) book but having been written by an essayist, a politician and an author, and because of the style employed, it is rich in information and requires a lot of brain power to process, making it not the easiest read at times. Particularly for those (like myself) who are new to the world of Italian politics. Picking the book up at the end of a dull day is not recommended as I sometimes found it a quite tiring or difficult to read, and having had to reread or jog my memory about the different groups, it turned out to take longer to read than its page count would suggest. But if you stick with it, it is more than rewarding.
From the way Sciascia interprets the communications from Moro and the Red Brigades, to the suggestions around the activity or inactivity of the key players, ‘The Moro Affair’ will intellectually stimulate you and potentially provide fresh insights and interpretations for you. But be prepared for it.
If you are looking for easily digestible historical information, this isn’t that book. But if you have an interest in Italian politics, particularly during this period, then this book belongs in your collection and will illuminate your knowledge and make you think. A tough read but highly recommended.
