In this collection of 14 stories, Luigi Capuana tours the inner workings of the human mind. His characters, while often comic or absurd, always act in accordance with the iron logic of their manias, flaws and quirks.
For Capuana, these short stories are psychological laboratories where his characters are placed in unusual situations and their reactions, psychology, and inner thoughts are meticulously observed. As Capuana's friend and fellow Verist, Giovanni Verga, put it, "What an unexplored and fruitful mine these short stories are, in which imagination and scientific research go hand in hand with such profound impact!"
Delitto Ideale, originally published in Italy in 1902, is considered a classic in Europe but appeared in English for the first time in 2018 as Mind Games. This academic edition contains the original Italian and the English translation on facing pages.
