Lee N. Abela, Joseph Galea and Clive Piscopo will interpret various excerpts from ‘Il-Kappillan ta’ Malta’  during a literary evening marking the official publication of the Maltese translation by Wistin Born of Nicholas Monsarrat’s 1973 novel, ‘The Kappillan of Malta’. The excerpts include the racy parts of the novel which were not considered appropriate for the Maltese listenership of the seventies on Rediffusion ... and were left out. The launching will be at Palazzo De La Salle, Republic Street, Valletta, on Friday 20 April starting at 7.30 pm.  

Monsarrat had an international readship in mind when writing the novel. Here and there, without being too explicit, he included spicy bits which, at times, gave a mildly erotic nature to the narrative. Back in the early seventies, such parts were still taboo in Malta, and Born saw to it that Maltese and Gozitan sensibilities were respected.

Monsarrat wrote The Kappillan of Malta in Gozo while residing at San Lawrenz, a village of a few hundred people, from 1968 till his death in 1979.

The sensual parts of the novel include love-making between a priest and a Gozitan girl (in close proximity to her sleeping son), and even some ‘ménage à moi’. These parts are now all restored to the translated version, which was edited by Mark Montebello and issued by SKS Publishers.

           The evening includes a literary overview of the novel by Mark Montebello

           The public is invited to attend the literary evening which will be followed by a reception.

           The book is on sale from all major bookshops for €12.99.