The Italian

A story about love, sea, and war.

"His elegant narrative style masterfully joins his great command of the Spanish language. Perez-Reverte is a Master." -La Stampa

In 1942 and 1943, during World War II, Italian combat divers either sank, or severely damaged, fourteen allied ships in the strait of Gibraltar and the Bay of Algeciras. In this novel which was inspired by real events, there are only a few characters and situations that have been made up by the author. Elena Arbues, a twenty-seven-year-old bookseller, finds one of those divers passed out on the shoreline as she was walking on the beach. As she rescued him the young woman was unaware that this act would forever change her life and that love will only be part of a dangerous adventure.

«-There's something I intend to do," she finally says. Or maybe I really should do it.
-Can I be of any help for that?
-In a way you have already been helpful. After all, you taught me to love heroes.

She puts the book back in its place and meets her father's puzzled gaze.

"Without you I would have never recognized them," she adds.
-I don't think I ...
-Oh, no, I wouldn't have at all. Or maybe you were one too at some point, before all hell broke loose.»