Had this on the shelf for several years and read it back then. I'll read it again and then try to find a suitable home for it.

Will be offered as an international bookring in early 2005 but reservations now being taken. Open to anyone anywhere; read and forward within 4 weeks and be prepared, if necessary, to post internationally (surface mail fine).

On loan to Netstation.

One of those odd sets of circumstances led me to borrow this book from Fellraven. I went to the Birmingham meet-up as I was in the area and fell into a discussion about Iain Pears "Instance of a Fingerpost" which led to Umberto Eco, thence to Robert Nye, and finally to David Madsen, a copy of whose "Memoirs of a Gnostic Dwarf was sitting on Fellraven's shelf waiting for an address so it could be sent on a ring. Ever the opportunist, I've begged it from her to read in the meantime ;o)

Such is the serendipity of Bookcrossing. By chance conversation I've discovered yet another author, unknown to me previously, whose other work I know I will have to look out. I read this, enjoyed it immensely, and was then amazed to find that it was a first novel!

Madsen is as erudite as Eco, and wittier to boot, and his style is similar to that of another favourite of mine, Robert Nye. He has 'Peppe, the gnostic dwarf of the title, weave the tale of his memoirs around some of the significant events of the late 15th / early 16th centuries with commendable historical accuracy. The timespan covers many of these significant events but their inclusion never overpowers Peppe's personal narrative. His life course is dramatically changed, seemingly by chance, and he rises from the gutters of Travestere to become the confidant of a powerful Pope. The final change is not entirely unexpected but Madsen handles it well and the story closes on an upbeat rather than a mawkish note.

Thanks for the loan, Fellraven. I posted it onwards to lizzy-stardust today.

i receieved this book in the post from netstation. only ten pages into it so I relly haven't formed an opinion yet, but I really hope it's a hgood read.

i finished reading this book about two weeks ago. Thank you so much, Fellraven for including me in this bookring; it was a really extraordinary read.

Received safely back in today's post.

With a title like that you just have to pick it up off the bookshop shelf, if only to see what it's about. It's about a lot of things, some of them downright bizarre, and if I had to sum it up in just a few words I would have to describe it as a gothic codpiece-ripper.

History has remembered the first of the Medici popes, Leo X, as a man of culture who patronised artists such as Rafael and Michelangelo, began the building of the current St Peter's and was in no small part responsible for the collections of art and manuscripts now contained in the Vatican libraries. But there's a dark side to everything, or so it seems.

Leonine Rome is depicted as a city not just of profound corruption, symbolised by the syphilitic arse of the Pope himself, the result of being buggered too often by the young men procured for him from the Roman slums, and displayed by a Pope spread-eagled on his bed with his underpants round his ankles and suffering the indignity of a doctor's diagnostic finger up his fundament (that's "arse" to you), but also of pockets of gnostic heresy which reach into the heart of power and influence within the Church through the presence of Peppe, the Gnostic Dwarf of the title, who is both bosom confidant of, and procurer of well-hung young men for, His Holiness.

The collision of the rarified world of astounding power and wealth which was the Renaissance Papal court with the equally astounding world of back-street vice, brutality and human degradation in which everything and everyone is for sale creates a juxtaposition rather like dropping a bejewelled crown into a public privy. And in this world which is no more than a universal freak show, the Papal court floats majestically on a sea of shit.

The other thread to this work concerns the deadly feud between the Gnostic Master of Rome and a troublesome Inquisitor, and of the terrible and cataclysmic climax to that feud.

Violent, often disturbing, shocking and horrifying, suffused with "the evil that men do" and, in the words of another critic, "fruity and filthy", this is not your average holiday read. It is, however, a truly original and inspired piece of fiction for the reader willing to withstand an assault on his sense of moral certitude.

Now being offered as an international bookring.

Do please be warned that the sex is frequent and explicit, and the violence and brutality are generally graphic and occasionally sustained. The language is a bit strong too. Some people would no doubt find it all grossly offensive.

RULES

1. The bookring is open to anyone, anywhere who is in “good-standing” but you must be able and willing to ship internationally as required. Surface mail is fine. “Good-standing” means that you have a good record of reading and forwarding ring and ray books or are otherwise active in releasing, RABCKing or trading in BC. No collectors, in other words. There are only 5 copies of the book registered on BC and I want to maximise chances of this one getting to those who want to read it. Not to mention back to me.

2. Read and forward the book within 4 weeks of receipt if possible, otherwise 6 weeks.

3. Journal the book on receipt, again with your review when you've finished reading it and finally when you post it to the next reader. If anything crops up to delay your reading it within the expected timeframe (eg, being brought to bedde with ye spawn of Satan, husband having the usual gibbous-moon episodes and breaking out in tentacles etc) please make another entry so everyone knows what's going on.

Participants:

1. Semioticghost (Ipswich, UK)
2. dagon (Surrey, UK)
3. Tehuti (Nottingham, UK)
4. Elhamisabel (Niedernhausen, Germany)
5. -aoirghe- (Bonn, Germany)
6. decay (Lyon, France)
7. UrbanSpaceman (London, UK)
8. Melancholyman (Edinburgh, Scotland)
9. MrsDanvers (Ely, UK)
10. tantan (Gympie, Queensland, Australia)
11. hunnyb (Sydney, Australia)
12. cafeauchocolat (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
13. dospescados (Chittenango, NY, USA)<--- Heading for (21 February 2006)
14. olifant (Utrecht, Netherlands)

Posted to Semioticghost first class today. Should arrive Monday. Enjoy!

This arrived yesterday and I have started reading already - it's wonderful!

I've just finished this and enjoyed it tremendously. I have the best intentions to write a proper review, too, but thought I'd let you know first that this is now ready to travel on. I'll PM Dagon and will hopefully be able to move this onwards early next week.
By the way, my normally slow-reading boyfriend has picked this up and finished it, too during the time I had this - we both agree that it's excellent!

UPDATE:
Posted to Dagon 14.02'05

In the continuing absence of a proper review, because my brain is too addled from the lack of sleep which only the likes of Netstation can cope with on a regular basis, I thought I'd write down the new words I learned from reading this book. Some of them I had guessed at, but looked up in case I was wrong - now the challenge is to use all these in a sentence :)

DICTIONARY
[in the order I found them in]
mansuetudinous: gentle, meek
empressement: Eagerness, effusive friendliness
usufructuary: someone who has the use, enjoyment or possession of something that's not his
malapert: saucy, impudent, presumptuous
eclairecissement: a clarification of what is obscure or misunderstood
encomiast: flatterer, eulogiser
pasquinade: satire
parturient: in labour
peculation: embezzlement of public money
trouraille: lucky find, windfall
fictile: made of clay
gallipot: apothecary pot
gamboge: yellow pigment as well as purgative resin
simony: buying or selling ecclesiastical privileges such as pardons
succedaneum: a substitute
edacious: voracious; relating to eating
paronomasia: word play, pun
gobemouche: a person who credulously accepts all news
embonpoint: plumpness
inchoative: initial, rudimentary
hortative: exhortative
emente: popular rising, disturbance
ferrugineous: iron-rust, dark red colour
inspissate: make thick or dense
alembic: an obsolete kind of still

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to Dagon for her delectation!

Received this morning and am looking forward to snuggling up beneath my duvet tonight with hot chocolate and hot book!
As is my custom,I glanced at previous journal entries,just to get a flavour of the book....and Semioticghost,wow! have you given me the shakes!Please add 'dictionary' to the above paragraph.I knew about a third of those words,another third I'm a bit wavery about ,and as for the rest.....
Can't tell you how much I'm anticipating this!

Much as I love Renaissance Art,I can never again look at it in the same light!
This is a magnificent romp through 15/16th century Italian history in all it's horror,depravity and grotesqueness,and I relished every lascivious moment.I found it hard not to have a sneaky liking for Peppe,he went through so much,I hope he had a happy life after the story finished!(I know,I know,it's fiction!)
The only gripe I had was with the author's over-use of many obscure dictionaries,mainly I found,during the turgid sexual episodes....A mild example - 'We fell asleep holding each other in that green and gold alembic of a bed,the cresset spluttering a sibilant threnody for the passion which had consumed us ...'etc. While these words are known to me,they are not exactly in common usage! However,there is a passage,from which I would like to quote a little,that seems to explain all this - '........I'll paint pictures with words! I'll use words they've never heard of before,I'll spin gold and silver with words and leave their minds reeling!I'll take them to a strange and dangerous world with words........' To say more would spoil the story!
I could have sworn that some words were made up,especially as I could not find them in my C.O.D. You really do need to look them up on the net!If I may add to Semioticghost's list a couple of my favorites...
petrine:pertaining to St.Peter
ganoid:enamelled,like a fish-scale
fascicles:seperately published parts of a book
canephorus:sculpture of a young man or woman bearing a basket on their head
draff:dregs,lees
and of course,guttling and fribbling (guzzling and frivolous) Lovely stuff!

I am now searching furiously for Madsen's second novel,which also looks a riot. I read this so quickly,because I really couldn't put it down.I just knew it was only going to last 2 or 3 big bites!

(Will post this on as soon as I receive address)

Posting this to tehuti today........Enjoy!

This arrived during the weekend while I was away. I've just started reading and am looking forward to the next several days!

The author takes us on an incredible romp through the underside of Renaissance Italy, which contrasts glaringly with the glories of its architecture and the purity of its art. This is a very erudite book, obviously based on extensive knowledge and research, but at the same time a gripping story.

I hope to send the book on to Aquina within the next week.

Finally sent to Elhamisabel today. Apologies for the delay. A big run of work prevented me from getting out to the post office over the last week or so.

I've just recieved this book.

Looks promising.
Thanks very much Fellraven and tehuti.

PS: no need to worry about the delay. Do you know of any BCer whose Mt tbr is not at least knee-high? ;-)

Finished it this morning.

It was not breath-taking funny or thrilling but I really liked it. I had to laugh out loud on several occasions. Couldn't help laughing when Peppe gave his opinion on the German language...;-D

What I liked most, though, was the weaving of actual events into the story. I've read of other countries and their dealings with the pope at that time and reading this now from the pope's point of view somehow completed the picture of that time. Quite fascinating!

I've already sent it on to -aoirghe- this morning. Have fun!
Thanks Fellraven for this one!

Today I collected the book from my post office where it had been waiting for some days already. It will still have to wait a little until I can start reading it as I'm a little behind with my reading schedule - there are some other rings to finish first.

Thanks, Fellraven, for starting the ring and thanks, elhamisabel, for sending it on.

A fascinating book! I've just finished it and I guess I won't forget it for quite some time.

The style as well as the story reminded me of Peter Ackroyd, especially of his "darker" novels. I loved the language eventhough there were a lot of words I didn't know - but in a way their sound seemed to imply their meaning or at least to help bring the mood of a situation across.

I'll keep the author in mind and will look out for more by him. Thanks again, Fellraven, for starting this ring!

I have already got decay's address, so the dwarf will be able to travel on tomorrow.

Was today in the mailbox, thanks aoirghe

This book is extremely well written.

Peppe, even though he's a crook back dwarf, is an invidual of great stature.
The "Cinquecento" Rome Madsen describes is quite realistic for this century.
I liked the Gnostic teachings (and I quite agree with it too, yes!! Call me an heretic!). That is really a great book.

My latin courses are long gone, though. But I still have good memories of my Italian (fortunately).


Already PMed Grooble in Australia, waiting for her/his address.
PMing Grooble again, declined because of some stalling, I'll pass it on to UrbanSpaceman.

As long as grooble declined my sending the book. I sent it today to UrbanSpaceman. Sorry for the delay but it seems like Grooble PMs did not get to me.

Just had this in the post from decay. I have another two ring books ahead of it in the queue, but I'll get down to work asap.

I thoroughly enjoyed this scatological romp through 16th century Italy. As Netstation mentioned in his review it is similar in tone to Robert Nye's Faust (the only one of his books I have read) which I also liked. The plot was well conceived and balanced humour and tragedy throughout, and at times was genuinely moving.

The book was also educational. Like Semiotighost, my vocabulary was extended by reading it, as was my knowledge of the history of the period and of theology and gnosticsm.

A rich and satisfying repast.

Will post on to MelancholyMan once I have his address.

#Opens package from Spaceman#

#Lets out whoop of delight#

#Settles down to read#

#All the while humming cheerfully#

(I may take a few days as I have many many other things on.)

#Makes strangled gurgling sounds#

#Is floridly sick#

#Groans#

Oh, my word...

#Retches again#

I'll write a more fullsome review just as soon as I find another sick-bag...

Well, there ain't much I can say which has not already been said.

'Confessions of a Flesh Eater' left me with the faint feeling that gnostic philosophy was basically unlikable and misanthrophic. Any remain doubts I had were shattered by MoaGD. It's expunging by the orthodoxy was not an immesurable loss to human civilization. All the jollyness of Christian fanaticism would have taken place unaltered. One could cite finer eschatological differences between gnosticism and the orthodoxy, but the basic self-loathing and demonization of certain other religions were present in both (just as there was an intense love for the initiated). Even Peppe, for all his attractiveness as a person, was a fundie who was able to rationalize the murder of someone he loved as being for the greater good. I'll give the image Peppe painted this - everyone, no matter how misled in this life, was to rejoin the same perfect whole after death. That said, if I were being tortured hideously I would not feel much molified if my tormentor assured me I was to go to nirvana.

At the end he asks the reader how, in the face of all the corruption and ugliness in this world, we could believe it was the work of God. If so, apparently we should consider that we may be gnostics. Well, I have considered it, and no I am not a gnostic.

Ready to post to MrsDanvers.

Received from melancholyman a little while ago. Apologies for the delay in journalling as I've been PC-less for a few weeks.

Witty, gross, educational, scatalogical, theological, farcical.

My knowledge of history, English and theology has been expanded. Sadly, I didn't have the Latin(or the Italian and German) to fully enjoy this book.

The opening paragraphs of this novel reminded me of those of "Earthly Powers" by Anthony Burgess, but Peppe then take us on a journey through far more filth than Burgess ever dreamt of.

Madsen's use of language is florid and the pictures he paints are as overwhelming as the Renaissance art patronised by Pope Leo.
The bejewelled world of the popes and cardinals and the vile, stinking slums of the Trastevere Peppe was born into are described in stomach-churning detail.

Other journallers have described this far better than I can,but I would summarise it as a funny, bloody, romp that defines the whole of the Renaissance world as a freak show.

Thanks to Fellraven for sharing this and to Semioticghost for the "dictionary".

An interview with the pseudonymous David Madsen can be found here:

spoiled ink

Off to grooble when I get an address.

Oh sweet merciful Jesus, good grief!!! A film version of CoaFE, how, how, how could they manage it? How? Will they provide smelling salts?

Ooo, what's this Box of Dreams?

Received with thanks from MrsDanvers. I've got two other bookrings in front of this, but both shouldn't take long. I'm quite looking forward to this, albeit with some trepidation!

At times I felt like putting this down, but it just kept dragging me on. An incredible, extraordinary, funny at times, disgusting quite often, and extremely witty romp. I learnt a lot, both with history and new words (many of which weren't in my dictionary, but usually able to be understood anyway from the context in which they were used). I really can't add much more to what's already been said, but I will keep an eye out for more by this author - maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment! :-)

I'll be checking that grooble wants to be skipped completely, and if so I'll post on to hunnyb.

Received today - thank you! Have a couple of other bookrings before it but will get into it soon (I love summer holidays!) Looks like a hoot.

Very interesting - not the kind of book I usually read. Madsen is a very witty and engaging author, although I found the story just a bit strange. I agree with everyone who have found new words to add to their vocabularies - although I wasn't so diligent as to record them all (too many!)

Thanks for sharing this - it's off to cafeauchocolat once I get an address.

Received book by mail from hunnyb in Australia. Looking forward to reading it, once done with Coelho's Eleven Minutes.

Sorry for the delay. Was away on project overseas. Have gotten in touch with the next person in line for his/her address. Will comment on the book shortly. ~ 21 Feb 06

What a toad of a book this is, a glorious read of a toad that is! Mr. Madsen's wit is so priceless, that I find myself re-reading certain passages, sentences relishing the double entrndre over and over again. Having grown up with a gnostic grandmother, I found the gnostic creeds shared in this book was rather simplified. But the rich details of the daily life in Leo's court more than made up for it. Off the book goes to the next in the ring. I will be getting myself a copy soon so that I may share it amongst my friends here. Thanks fellraven for inviting me to this ring. Sorry for the slight delay.

Sadly this book appears to be MIA as it has not arrived chez dospescados. Hopefully there's a postman somewhere who wishes he hadn't opened that interesting-looking package and won't do it again ....