M: Son of the Century

A Novel

By: Antonio Scurati

Narrated by: Jonathan Oliver

“This relentless chronicle of authoritarianism emboldened and empowered offers a painful and valuable reminder that democracy is fragile, never to be taken for granted and always in need of committed defense.” —Washington Post

The massive international bestseller—an epic historical novel that chronicles the birth and rise of fascism in Italy, witnessed through the eyes of its founder, the terrifyingly charismatic figure who would become one of the most notorious dictators of the twentieth century, Benito Mussolini.

It is 1919, and the Great War that has ravaged Europe is over. In Italy, the people are exhausted. Tired of the political class. Tired of vague promises, inept moderates, and the agonizing machinations of a democracy that has failed ordinary citizens.

While elite leaders have sat idly by, achieving nothing, one outsider—the director of a small opposition newspaper and a tireless political agitator—is electrifying the masses, promising hope for a demoralized nation hungry for change.

A former socialist leader ousted by his own party, he is a drifter who knows what it is to feel lost. His voice speaks for the misfits and the outcasts; he is a protector of those who are forgotten.

He is Benito Mussolini. And soon Italy—and the world—will be forever remade.

In M: Son of the Century, Antonio Scurati tells the story of fascism from within the mind of its founder, the man known to his followers as Il Duce. Steeped in historical detail and interspersed with period documents and sources, this masterful saga explores the seductive power of nationalism and idolatry, revealing how authoritarianism took hold and a nation bent to the will of one ruthless strongman. Provocative and resonant, M is a chilling reminder that the past is never gone, and that it holds urgent lessons for us today.

Great treatment of Italian fascism

Book was overlong--could stand some pruning. Narrator wss excellent. Wish Part II were available. Not to mention Part III.

The Minutiae of Taking Power

The man of Benito Mussolini is more often than not whittled down to a caricature of a loud, oafish, bumbling wannabe. The facts of history look unfavorably on that characterization.

Scurati weaves his tale (the first of three) about the rise of Mussolini, starting with his founding of the Fasci di Combattimento after World War 1, and follows the battle between Fascism and Socialism in postwar Italy through the writings and dialogs of key figures. On one side, Mussolini, and all the colorful cadre of men (and women) who surround him. And on the other side, the men who stood in opposition to him. Through following the minutiae of party rallies, crimes of violence against individuals, and the laying out of parliamentary debates and political conferences, as well as articles from the newspapers of the time, we live the slow but not insignificant growth of Mussolini and of Fascism. And then beyond it to the very day on which Mussolini essentially becomes a Dictator in January 1925.

Scurati’s writing can be very prosaic and poetic. And it adds a very Italian sensibility to the book, and really helps color in the world. But at times it can be a bit distracting. More often than not, it’s personal and up close. If you wanted to truly put a lens on the time and try to decipher how Mussolini came to power, and as such laid the groundwork for authoritarian dictatorship in the 20th century, this book would have everything you need to know.

How Fascism takes power.

An interesting look at how the fascists took over Italy in a story much more complicated than the usual one told.

Absolutely astounding!

Shocking, enlightening, entertaining, frightening and amazingly satisfying.--- a masterful presentation of an historical episode the presentation of which is so well conceived that it makes it almost impossible to put down and leaves one impatiently awaiting the future volumes.

Spellbinding novel

Antonio Scutari’s book is a tour de force. Though it’s a novel seen through the eyes of the fascist Benito Mussolini, among others, the reader feels that he or she is a part of real history. This is the rise Benito Mussolini’s dictatorship and Scutari writers as though he is inside his head. And it’s riveting all the way through. Jonathan Oliver brings his words to life. This is one not to be missed!!