Concerning the Eccentricities of Cardinal Pirelli

By Ronald Firbank

Book Overview

"Concerning the Eccentricities of Cardinal Pirelli" is a brilliant example of Ronald Firbank's unique brand of modernist satire and decadent wit. Set in a stylized, vividly rendered Spain, the novella chronicles the scandalous adventures of the titular prelate, Cardinal Pirelli. Known for his unorthodox behavior-ranging from the baptism of a pet dog to his pursuit of aesthetic and carnal pleasures-the Cardinal navigates a world of high ecclesiastical artifice and moral ambiguity.

Firbank's final completed work is celebrated for its impressionistic prose, fragmented dialogue, and camp sensibility. It offers a sharp, subversive critique of religious institutions and social conventions, filtered through a lens of elegant absurdity. The narrative culminates in the Cardinal's dramatic and symbolic pursuit within the confines of his own cathedral, blending the sacred with the profane in a way that only Firbank could achieve.

Readers will find a masterpiece of literary artifice that challenged the boundaries of early 20th-century fiction. This work remains a cornerstone of queer literary history and a testament to Firbank's influence on the development of the modern novel, praised for its linguistic playfulness and sophisticated irony.

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025692357
• ISBN13: 9781025692357
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 162 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 9.2"