Publisher's Weekly Review
Immensely readable and infectious, this warm and insightful novel follows a terminal cancer patient in San Lorenzo, Italy, through his last wishes and life's goals. Presented as a memoir, it's a stream-of-consciousness revelation of the joys and fears of life interspersed with pearls of wisdom. Water polo coach and gym instructor Lucio Battistini provides a first-person account of his discovery of late-stage liver cancer and his to-do list for his 100 days left. He wants to see his beloved water polo team succeed; play practical jokes with best friends Umberto and Corrado; treat children Lorenzo and Eva to a trans-European vacation; find a girlfriend for widowed father-in-law Oscar, who always has fresh hot doughnuts ready in his bakery; and apologize to reluctant wife Paola, whom he cheated on. Lucio names his tumor Fritz, is obsessed with over-achiever Leonardo da Vinci, and provides opinions on chemotherapy, illness, and suicide. Brizzi's enchanting and often humorous story encourages readers to start now on their to-do lists. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
[DEBUT] When romantic, underachieving Lucio Battistini finds out that he has inoperable advanced liver cancer, he sets out to make the last 100 days of his life memorable for himself, his family, and his friends. He hopes to teach his children some valuable life lessons. He hopes to show his friends and family how much he loves them. Most of all, he hopes to win back the love of his wife, lost because of his relentless philandering. His journey helps him to make peace with himself and makes his last days really matter. First novelist Brizzi, a director, screenwriter, and film producer in his native Italy, creates a flawed but lovable man striving against fate. His funny and bittersweet narrative unfolds in 100 brief chapters that capture the best and the worst of the inescapable finality of existence. This book will appeal to readers of fiction and students of life. Verdict Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 2/9/15.]-Joanna Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.