Reflections of a stormy petrel

A work of genius in history is something which takes a subject and gives a view of it that is comprehensive, penetrating, and novel. Of the three, being comprehensive and penetrating are the more important requirements, but novelty - not in the sense of cleverness, but in the sense of making you feel as though everything you are looking at is new, surprising, unexpected - is the quality that most impresses the idea of genius on the reader.

Professor Aldo Angelo Settia of the University of Pavia has produced at least one such work, probably more.( Read more... )