Mountains On Fire By Vincenzo Calzia

Long Beach, California - August 2, 2024 - Today, we are thrilled to announce the release of "Mountains on Fire: Memoir of an Italian Soldier in World War I," a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit amidst adversity written by Vincenzo Calzia, a young Italian mountain soldier who fought on the treacherous World War I front between Italy and Austria over a century ago. Translated from Italian to English by Mary Bertino and Donna Mancusi-Ungaro Hart, this memoir offers an eye-opening perspective capturing pre-war sentiment and extending to post-war nation-building.  

Vincenzo's narrative is authentic, born out of his discovery of old papers and letters documenting his life during World War I. Instead of recounting the lofty views of generals, he offers a glimpse into the life of a lowly soldier, delivering an intimate look at the personal encounters and daily rigors of combat against the enemy, the unforgiving terrain, and the cavalier attitude of those in command toward their own soldiers.   

An absorbing story of innocence, sacrifice, and transformation, the memoir describes it all: enthusiastic enlistment, exhausting marches, fortification building, and the horrors of battle culminating in patrols along the borders of the newly formed Yugoslavia. The 1918 Spanish flu adds to the tragedy by claiming two younger brothers at home. Despite all this, "Mountains on Fire" also captures bright and humorous incidents where the young soldiers' light-hearted spirits shine through amid the majestic mountain setting.

This intimate coming-of-age story continues to resonate today, a hundred years after it was written, in the face of the ongoing ground wars in Europe and the Middle East and the continuing Covid pandemic.

The original memoir in Italian was a finalist for the Premio Pieve 2023, awarded annually by the Italian National Diary Archives for the best unpublished diary.

About the Author  

Vincenzo Calzia was born in 1896 Pontedassio, along the Italian Riviera. He joined the war in 1915 and participated in battles across the Venetian Pre-Alps and the Julian Alp and served along the border with Yugoslavia until his discharge in 1920. After his military service, he served his community in various administrative positions for many years, all the time writing journals, stories, and poetry. He compiled his war diary after he retired, depositing it in the local archives shortly before his death in 1983.  

Book Name: Mountains on Fire: Memoir of an Italian Soldier in World War I

Author Name: Vincenzo Calzia (Translated by Mary Bertino and Donna Mancusi-Ungaro Hart) 

ISBN Number: 978-1963789980

Book Link: https://a.co/d/gqehnaI

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