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maltatoday SUNDAY 22 OCTOBER 2017 32 This Week WHAT'S ON Pjazza San Ġorġ, Valletta The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) N OTI KKULURITI INVITES YOU TO A soirée of Music, Literature & Art Special Guests AIRPORT IMPRESSIONS Food and drinks will be served 28 October 2017 19:00-22:00pm Love in Paris, tempered with a 'message' MARIO CACCIOTTOLO reviews 'Vaganzi Sajfin' by Alfred Massa Alfred Massa embarked on his literary ca- reer in 1972 when he published his first novel Is-Salib Tal-Ġiżirana. The work in hand, Vaganzi Sajfin, is his fourteenth. Massa has also published works in other genres such as poetry, essays, short sto- ries, and religio-traditional material. The leitmotif pervading all fourteen novels is based on social aspects of Maltese fam- ily life as the main backdrop to the plot, whereas other themes such as travel, local history, Destiny, the sea and Malta's cli- mate, also recur very often. Having been a teacher for over forty years, Alfred Massa also does not lose a single opportunity to use his writings as a vehicle for educating his readers as well as entertaining them. The story of Massa's latest novel revolves around two typical, church-going Maltese families, their friends and neighbours, and their environment as well as about sum- mer holidays spent abroad and in Malta itself – a Maltese couple and a relative in France, and two English youths in Malta. The reader encounters Massa's usual de- scription of places visited, a fleeting men- tion of Destiny, a mysterious disappear- ance at sea, and one death attributable to drug abuse. There are also references to the Maltese nation's xenophobic trait, fomented by Ġużè Muscat Azzopardi's historical novels early in the twentieth century, and many people's mistaken homophobic perception about male hair- dressers. In this novel, Massa veers somewhat away from his usual Thomas Hardy style and in- cludes a couple of poignant episodes such as the undeclared love of Christopher for Elsie which ends tragically, and the abortive courting of Veronika and Andrew, but he does not blame any of his female char- acters for their misadventures and so local feminists have no reason to feel offended. As in previous works, Massa's style is that of the author who comments on particular is- sues about which he has strong convictions and addresses his readers, albeit rather obliquely this time, about such themes as scientifically aided pregnan- cies, cohabitation, and current discussions and developments concerning sexual orientations which were considered taboos in recent decades. In this re- spect our author contradicts the groundbreaking literary critic Roland Barthes who, in his controversial essay Le mort de l'auteur ('The death of the author') published in 1967, claimed that once a writer published his work he lost his ownership, became simply a 'narrator', and each reader was free to interpret that work as he pleased. The author was 'dead'; he was no longer important and the work could be given a new meaning or interpretation each time it was read. But with his comments and interjections Mas- sa's presence continues to be felt – par- ticularly his strong Catholic beliefs – and his readers are not left with any doubts as to his meaning, nor are they completely free to form their own opinion on the au- thor's beliefs, opinions, and so on. All in all, readers are invited to discover for themselves the romantic story told by Massa in the novel Vaganzi Sajfin. It makes light, fresh, and pleasant reading, and lovers of our national tongue will have the added bonus of a well written literary work. And, of course, Massa's specialities: a 'travelogue'; a few local historical snip- pets; and sound, level-headed advice. The publication by Horizons is fairly up to standard but the front cover may give the impression that the 'summer holidays' in the title are simply a visit to Paris by a couple of young honeymooners. It does not do full justice to the plot and sub plot of the novel. And considering that the Uni- versity of Malta is now producing gradu- ates in proof-reading, this task should have been more professionally tackled. Certain orthographical/grammitical mis- takes should not have been allowed to ap- pear in the published text. Moreover, considering his mastery of the Maltese language which he taught for so many years, Alfred Massa could not have committed those silly mistakes. Vaganzi Sajfin is published by Horizons MARIO CACCIOTTOLO reviews 'Vaganzi Sajfin' by Alfred Massa In this novel, Massa veers somewhat away from his usual Thomas Hardy style and in- cludes a couple of poignant episodes such as the undeclared love of Christopher for Elsie which ends tragically, and the abortive courting of Veronika and Andrew, but he does not blame any of his female char- acters for their misadventures and so local feminists have no As in previous works, Massa's style is that of the author who comments on particular is- sues about which he has strong convictions and addresses his readers, albeit rather obliquely this time, about such themes as scientifically aided pregnan- cies, cohabitation, and current discussions and developments concerning sexual orientations which were considered taboos in recent decades. In this re- spect our author contradicts the groundbreaking literary critic Roland Barthes who, in his controversial essay Le mort de l'auteur ('The death of the author') published in 1967, claimed that once a writer published his work he lost work as he pleased. The author was interpretation each time it was read. But with his comments and interjections Mas- sa's presence continues to be felt – par- ticularly his strong Catholic beliefs – and his readers are not left with any doubts as to his meaning, nor are they completely free to form their own opinion on the au- thor's beliefs, opinions, and so on. All in all, readers are invited to discover for themselves the romantic story told by Massa in the novel Vaganzi Sajfin. It makes light, fresh, and pleasant reading, and lovers of our national tongue will have the added bonus of a well written literary work. And, of course, Massa's specialities: a 'travelogue'; a few local historical snip- pets; and sound, level-headed advice. The publication by Horizons is fairly up to standard but the front cover may give the impression that the 'summer holidays' in the title are simply a visit to Paris by a couple of young honeymooners. It does not do full justice to the plot and sub plot of the novel. And considering that the Uni- versity of Malta is now producing gradu- ates in proof-reading, this task should have been more professionally tackled. Certain orthographical/grammitical mis- takes should not have been allowed to ap- pear in the published text. the Maltese language which he taught for so many years, Alfred Massa could not