The Story of Tonle

By Mario Rigoni Stern

Book Overview

Tönle Bintarn's story takes place in the Veneto region, which once bordered the Austro-Hungarian Empire and where smuggling provided a means of subsistence to the peasants. Having run afoul of revenue agents, Tönle must seek refuge beyond the frontier in Central Europe, where year after year he survives by doing odd jobs and working as an itinerant print peddler, a horse trainer, and a gardener. When he is pardoned he returns home for good to find his children are grown and nothing remains for him but to tend his sheep, while around him Europe spins toward the catastrophe of the Great War--the conflict that will destroy Veneto's unique way of life.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081016034X
• ISBN13: 9780810160347
• Release Date: June 1998
• Publisher: Marlboro Press
• Length: 105 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Asiago and his people

Excellent story about the people of the Asiago Plateu. The hard and honest work, miles and miles away from home, to keep the family alive. You can rely feel the love for the land, home and family and the tragic events of history disrupting centuries of life. A good reading for everyone, who misses home and family or just peace.