The Wrench

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A simple thing well done. - Rated
A previous reviewer claimed "there is no heroism in the mundane." Perhaps. Yet, despite Bernard Levin's cover note, heroism was never the subject of this book. Levi saw too much of the fallibility of humans to divide them into "heroes" and "mortals".

A better divsion would be lovers of life and whatever their antithesis may be. Read his poem, "Some other Monday" for an insight into the simple pleasures of life that Levi held so dear. From the depths of his suffering at the end of the war, Levi absurdly imagines the voice of the tannoy announcer at Turin Station bellowing out "I'll tell you who's going to heaven/hell", the former being those who innocently love life, the latter, the cynics and smart-arses.

The Wrench it is a reflection of Levi's other life, the one before and after his encounter with the extraordinary. The simple, unheroic one in which he found peace, contentment, fulfilment and the odd mundane adventure in his day-to-day business. The original Italian title, a much more subtle play on words than "The Wrench" perhaps suggests something of Levi's simple philosophy: "La Chiave a Stelle" - "The Key with Stars", the Italian term for a Monkey wrench, but maybe also the key TO the stars?

Faussonne is an ordinary man, performing an ordinary job, but in this book he transcends the ordinary in his love and devotion for his everyday tasks. Maybe there is no heroism in this, but the satisfaction of a simple thing, done to the best of one's ability is, in Levi's experience the key to happiness.

A beautiful, simple and profoundly unheroic book.

a mix of mundane and profound - Rated
a book that mixes construction with greek mythology. a book that remains with you and is not easily forgotten