Silk (novel)
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For the movie of this novel, please see Silk (2007 film); for other uses, please see Silk (disambiguation).
| Silk | |
 Paperback edition cover |
|
| Author | Alessandro Baricco |
|---|---|
| Original title | Seta |
| Translator | Guido Waldman |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | The Harvill Press |
| Publication date | 1996 |
| Published in English |
October, 1997 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 91 pp (First edition, hardcover) |
| ISBN | ISBN 1-86046-258-8 |
Silk (Italian: Seta, 1996) is a novel by Italian writer Alessandro Baricco. It was translated into English in 1997 by Guido Waldman. A new English translation by Ann Goldstein was published in 2006.
[edit] Plot summary
The novel tells the story of a French silkworm merchant-turned-smuggler named Hervé Joncour in 19th century France who travels to Japan for his town's supply of silkworms after a disease wipes out their African supply. During his stay in Japan, he becomes obsessed with the concubine of a local baron.
[edit] Main characters
- Hervé Joncour – silkworm merchant-turned-smuggler
- Hélène Joncour – Hervé's wife
- Baldabiou – Financier of Hervé's travels
- Hara Kei – Silkworm baron in Japan
- Hara Kei's unnamed concubine - she 'has the face of a young girl and eyes without an oriental slant'
- Madame Blanche – Madame of a prostitution house
[edit] Book information
Silk (English edition) by Alessandro Baricco; translated by Guido Waldman.
- Hardcover - ISBN 1-86046-258-8 published in (ISBN-13 978-1-86046-258-0) October 1997 by The Harvill Press
- Paperback - ISBN 1-86046-366-5 published in May 1998 by The Harvill Press
