To Each His Own (1966) by Leonardo Sciascia

Book Review
To Each His Own (1966)
by Leonardo Sciascia

Replaces: The Ogre by Michael Tournier

  Leonardo Sciascia is a Sicilian born Italian writer with dozens of books in his native Italian and a handful translated into English.  To Each His Own has had two English language editions, the first English edition was translated by Adrienne Folke and published in 1968 under the title, "A Man's Blessing."  The 1992 reprint of that translation was called To Each His Own.  As far as I know he never had a moment where he connected with a big audience in English translation. 

  Thematically, Sciascia embodied his native Sicily, with an emphasis on the corruption of contemporary society at the hands of organized crimes and its partners in business, government and religion.  To Each His Own takes the form of a who-done-it:  A town pharmacist receives an anonymous threatening letter, soon after he is murdered, and Professor Laurana, an acquaintance of his, tries to get to the bottom of the crime, which is written off by the local authorities.

  To Each His Own reminded me of any number of books by Patrick Modiano if you swap Paris for the Sicilian countryside.  Sciascia replaces another French author on the 1001 Books list.  The Ogre, by Michael Tournier, was the 1970 Prix Goncourt best novel winner.   It's tough to see a French language title written after World War II drop off the list, they seem to be in short supply starting in the mid 20th century up until today- other than Houellebecq and Binet I could hardly name a third contemporary novelist.