THE HUMAN BODY

The boredom, horror, and hope of war come together beautifully in Edoardo Ballerini's performance. Not one moment of the suffering of Italian soldiers sent to Afghanistan or their families is lost to Ballerini. Their emotional distress is as poignant as the moments of dark comedy--and there are a surprising number of humorous moments interwoven with their loss, disillusionment, and desperation. In other hands, these shifts from tragedy to humor (dark though it is) might be confusing or even lost on listeners, but Ballerini is able to relate a strange idea hinted at throughout the story: Tragedy and levity are sometimes the same thing. This novel is by no means a comedy, but Ballerini is justified in acknowledging the farcical moments that appear throughout the story. N.J.B. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2015]