Fuq il-Palk tal-Ħajja (a collection of short stories)

By Alfred Massa

Published by BDL, 2022

Admittedly, the longer novel has always been very popular with Maltese readers; and, very often, it managed to put the short story in undeserved shadows. Lately, however, as has happened during various moments in literary popularity, the shorter story, although hardly ever winning first place, succeeded quite nicely in coming ever nearer in winning it, the more so when the short stories in question metamorphose into a good and exciting read for those who want to enjoy it but hardly have the time for it!

Alfred Massa is a very popular and prolific writer of the longer novel, and his style in this genre of literature is quite unique. This time, he has resorted to the shorter story and has done so brilliantly and in the grand style.

After a short preface, a veritable prelude to what is to come, Massa raises the curtain on 15 extremely interesting short stories, all of them reminiscent of the title of the book, as all of them deal with humanity itself in all its often-baffling traits, aspects and experiences, good and bad.

All the stories are virtually related to each other in this respect, to join together in one intensely and absolutely dramatic play in 15 acts.

The natural, lively narrative form in Massa’s long novels is here in miniature form, all set to relay to and eventually introduce the reader to what the author has in mind and what he has to say. Much can be read between the lines, as regards life in its undeniably tragic reality; the writing on the wall is always there, often painful to read and even more painful to accept.

Stories like Id-dar tal-faċċata, Silwett tax-xjuħija, Qasma bejn l-aħwa, Frotta qarsa, Qattus iswed, Warda b’zokk miksur and Ħabib il-mewt are simply superb romps into what actually makes life tick; others are dramatic to a degree, sometimes smiling almost cynically at the confused panorama miles away beyond the stage... until the curtain finally comes down on Kalzetta Mqattgħa. 

Indeed, this collection of short stories, highly readable and enjoyable, is a joy to own, to read and to enjoy. Beautifully printed by BDL Books, with a very attractive front cover, Fuq il-Palk tal-Ħajja is an additional gem to be added to other worthy short stories in Maltese, and more importantly so to Maltese literature.