Paolo Maurensig's "Il diavolo nel cassetto" reviewed posthumously

Italian writer Paolo Maurensig died on Saturday, May 29. A review of his last novel, "Il diavolo nel cassetto" (Einaudi), is republished. The short novel plays with the literary trope of the "found manuscript" and the cliché of the "novel in the drawer." It is set in a Swiss village that boasts a brief visit by Goethe, leading its inhabitants to believe they are writers. The devil appears disguised as a publisher, exploiting the vanity and narcissism of aspiring authors. The book explores themes of evil, literature's ethical value, and the banality of evil. Maurensig is known for works such as "L'uomo scarlatto," "La variante di Lüneburg," and "Canone inverso." The review was written by Vieri Peroncini for MIfacciodiCultura.