Timeskipper by Stefano Benni, Anthony Sugaar (Translator)

From the Publisher

Italy's foremost satirist recounts the adventures of Timeskipper, a young man endowed with a rare gift: the ability to see into the future. A tale in which innocence and imagination defy corruption and conformity, in which the eccentricities and innocence of yesteryear come face-to-face with the moral aridity of today's money-obsessed society, Timeskipper is one of Stefano Benni's most touching and enduring creations. Colored by Benni's trademark linguistic inventiveness and irresistible humor, this is a coming-of-age story with a difference.

Publishers Weekly

Time is out of joint in this quasi-fantasy novel by Italian author Benni (Margherita Dolce Vita), whose young hero, Luperto, is stopped on his way to school by God, who, dressed in rags and swarmed by flies, gives Luperto a "duoclock," or the ability to see the future. Luperto, now called Timeskipper, grows up the son of a woodcarver in a small village in post-war Italy. Timeskipper goes away to the city to be educated, flirts with communism, plays soccer, becomes a newspaper reporter, observes the student unrest that sweeps Europe in 1968 and returns home to take part in his village's losing war between tradition and progress. He also can't forget Selene, the on-again off-again love of his life. At key points, Timeskipper's duoclock enables him to see possible futures, but shorn of the underused gimmick, this is a fairly stock coming-of-age story dressed up with supporting characters right out of a Fellini movie. Many Italian political references will be lost on the average American reader, making this translation one that may have trouble finding with a larger audience.
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Kevin Greczek - Library Journal

Benni again unveils his Italian brand of magical realism for readers of English, this time demonstrating a decidedly more political slant than what featured in his previous novel, Margherita Dolce Vita. While Margherita lamented the intrusions of modern technology on the pastoral Italian lifestyle, Timeskipper focuses on the perceived evils practiced by conservative Italian politicians in the second half of the 20th century. Despite the subject matter, the book is more strongly characterized by the main character, Timeskipper, and his "duoclock," which was given to him by a filthy elderly man who may or may not be some sort of pagan god. The duoclock enables Timeskipper to see into the future occasionally, a gift he uses to his advantage as his country, small village, and personal life undergo radical changes. With its shifting from the fantastical to the political and its dizzying number of characters, this is not an easy book to follow, and it specializes in an obscure, scatological brand of humor. If your tastes range from impish gnomes to Italian politics, you will enjoy this book more than the average reader. Recommended for large fiction collections.

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