nother novella from Italo Calvino, who brought us the strange and insightful The Nonexistent Knight. In this one, a Viscount is fighting the Turks and finds himself on the wrong end of a cannon. As the author notes, with good reason, the best way to attack a cannon is from the sides or rear. But, oh well, our Viscount Medardo literally takes the full load dead center. The field surgeons struggle with that remains and manage to preserve him. Most of him. Well, half. He only exists as the left side of himself, the rest of his absent body cloaked from casual view.

Returning to his native land, he places himself back in his castle. Quickly, we see an evilness about him. Minor things at first, but gradually it grows. Soon enough, he is hanging men in batches, setting fires to the peasant’s hovels, taxing those who can pay and imprisoning those who cannot. He’s a right terror.

But then comes a man, every bit as kind as the Viscount is cruel. But he’s not really a man. He’s half a man. A right half. Yeah, you know who.

Another great story about ethics and morals and impossible situations, from the guy who made a story about an empty suit of armor. Fantastic read. Loved it. See if you can find it.

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