What is la pelle?

La Pelle is an Italian novel written by Curzio Malaparte and published in 1949. The title translates to "The Skin" in English. The book is a semi-autobiographical story set in Naples, Italy during the Allied occupation of the city in 1943, following the fall of Mussolini's fascist government.

The novel is known for being controversial due to its frank descriptions of sex, violence, and political corruption. It also includes depictions of real-life figures such as General Eisenhower, who is portrayed as a vain and arrogant man.

La Pelle is considered a seminal work of Italian literature and has been translated into multiple languages. It has been adapted into a film of the same name, directed by Liliana Cavani in 1981.

The novel's title is symbolic, representing the layers of deception and corruption that the characters must navigate in order to survive in a chaotic and morally ambiguous world.