The Pike: Gabriele D'Annunzio - Poet, Seducer and Preacher of War

The story of Gabriele d''Annunzio, poet, WWI daredevil and fascist; the book was the winner of two leading literary awards: the 2013 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non Fiction plus the 2013 Costa Award for Biography. In September 1919 Gabriele d''Annunzio, successful poet and occasional politician, declared himself Commandante of the city of Fiume, now Rijeka in Croatia. His intention was to establish a utopia based on his fascist and artistic ideals. It was the dramatic pinnacle to an outrageous career. Lucy Hughes-Hallett charts the controversial life of d''Annunzio, the debauched artist who became a national hero. His evolution from idealist Romantic to radical right-wing revolutionary is a political parable. Through his ideological journey, culminating in the failure of the Fiume endeavour, we witness the political turbulence of early 20th century Europe and the emergence of fascism. In ''The Pike'', Hughes-Hallett addresses the cult of nationalism and the origins of political extremism - and at the centre of the book stands the charismatic d''Annunzio; a figure as deplorable as he is fascinating. A beautifully written and imaginatively structured book – a long read, but highly recommended!