I have always been enthralled by Patricia Highsmith’s writing; reading her books and stories is a sweet diving into the darkness of humanity. In my opinion, she deserves a more important place on the bookshops’ shelves, but after all, who am I to say that? I was looking for a theme for the new issue, one dealing with animals, but also with the irresponsible way we, as superior beings, behave every day in any situation; and I couldn’t help remembering this short story collection I had read many years ago. And now that I think about it, it was the best choice in these times when we have all become judges—and, if necessary, executioners—possessed by a dark, black and vindictive spirit, disregarding objective reality, where every action has its consequences. We can’t see nothing but our truth, our interests, and we behave and condemn accordingly. But luckily, the earth is round, and so are our tiny existences.
So today I am proposing this issue, that unfortunately can’t pay tribute to every single one of the amazing stories in this book, and above all to every one of their characters, these avengers rising against us bully and stupid bipeds, blind and deaf to anything that doesn’t suit us, after some odd genetic mix made us despicable.
Every single one of these stories can be read from the opposite perspective: for each of them I have imagined a newspaper article telling the story from the human point of view, and I suffered all the more for the silence of truth. And yet, isn’t it always like that? Isn’t it getting more and more like that, day after day? Isn’t it true that ignorance, prevarication, power, and most of all stupidity and lack of principles are manipulating reality as they please, even when it seems absurd? But I am not a judge, nor I want to be one. I don’t approve of revenge, even when it is justified. Many years ago, I have decided that justice—whether divine or not—exists, but it doesn’t share our sense of time, since we live in an endless reality. So, I restrict myself to trying my best and leave justice in the hands of the proper authorities. But if I read—and have fun while reading—a book where humans are given a taste of their own medicine, I’m doing nothing wrong, isn’t it? There is no harm in recommending a reading that offers a different—and even opposite—point of view, am I right?
This issue is dedicated to all the animal heroes in this book, and to a few humans, too. It is dedicated to Felice and to every little dog, cat or living creature that is mistreated every day, for they deserve hope, and there must be hope for them! And it is dedicated to Patricia Highsmith, who is an amazing writer—and I challenge anyone to say otherwise!
I also hope that after browsing this magazine, you will go to the bookshop and order a copy of THE ANIMAL-LOVER’S BOOK OF BEASTLY MURDER.