ABBA ABBA, Burgess’s superficially simple tale of a group of people in Rome, is the focus for Giuseppe’s talk. The characters huddle together in companionship against the backdrops of two impending deaths: one of the fallen Emperor Napoleon, and the other of young English poet, John Keats, who in his frail consumptive state had come to Rome in the hope that the city’s climate would alleviate his suffering. During his final months alive in the city Keats meets and befriends local wit and sonneteer Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, and their shared ruminations on poetry and language are spellbinding. Or, so Burgess’s story goes… for as with many of the moments described in this gem of a novella, their author supposes what could have happened, based most of the time on what did happen, with occasional dips into brazen, brilliant invention. Giuseppe Albano is of Italian heritage and was born and raised in Scotland. He is Curator of the Keats-Shelley House in Rome and author of the preface to the Italian edition of ABBA ABBA (Robin Edizioni, 2012). Contact events@anthonyburgess.org to reserve your place.