The Nautical Adventures of Vincenzo Barozzo
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| The Nautical Adventures of Vincenzo Barozzo | |
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| Front cover | |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Subject | Aristoconservative politics Revisionist history |
| Publisher | Boldo |
| Publication date | 86 PC |
| Publication place | La Rossa |
| Pages | 39 |
The Nautical Adventures of Vincenzo Barozzo is a controversial La Rossa storytime book written in 86 PC. It was released by Boldo, then a recently established conservative publishing company. The book has no listed author. The fantastical plot, told through rhymes, follows Dux Vincenzo Barozzo's exile from La Rossa and his travels throughout the Eastern Ocean, before his failed landing on La Rossa. Though there is a lack of verifiable evidence as to what happened to the exiled Dux, the plot of the story is almost certainly a complete fabrication. The story has Barozzo travel through rich and prosperous islands where he gathers a loyal band of soldiers, though by all accounts he would return to La Rossa ill and delirious, surrounded by a heavily disfigured and cut-throat crew.
Within weeks of its publishing, the book was placed under review by the Rossan Press Commission. As Freedom of speech in La Rossa were recently amended, the Press Commission did not have the power to ban the publication of the work prior to its publishing, making it one of the first notable cases where a book had to be reviewed after publication. The controversy surrounding the children's book led to a small surge of sales, it is unknown how many of these purchases were made by parents or people buying a potential soon-to-be banned literary artifact. Aside from the controversy, the book itself made a modest amount of sales, with about 3,000 copies sold nationwide.
Following the controversy, the book has been reviewed by a few critics. Writing for the Bugle of Buglio, G. Tramesci states "The book seems more oriented in justifying the parent's anger and grievance on a forgotten issue than writing anything that might appeal to what is ostensibly its audience - pre-schoolers learning how to read." A review by the Tromba da Tolia stated that "'The Nautical Adventures' succeeds in both of its goals, manufacturing an outrage the publishers knew they would provoke, as well as putting bored and disinterested children forced to listen to it right to sleep."
Publication
The Nautical Adventures of Vincenzo Barozzo was published by the Boldo company, established the same year. A publishing company that self-describes its mission as "advancing traditional values this nation has lost," the company founders have allegedly expressed wishes to return to days of aristocracy and to abolish the country's elections, believing that the nation has fallen into a spiral of decline following La Denunzia. As the publication of anti-democratic material is not allowed in La Rossa, these statements could not be confirmed, as they are said to have occurred entirely in private conversation. Aside from the storybook, published under the company's children's label, other published works by Boldo tackle political goals more directly. The publisher has taken strong anti-Laborist stances, have argued against union-owned companies and in favor of longer working hours. They have also stood in support of a less individualist model of the free market, claiming that companies should be subservient to the goals of the state. Unlike moderate conservative publications, Boldo has also stood against all international relationships, taking on a strong isolationist stance, claiming that every time the country trusts someone, it gets betrayed and taken advantage of. The Nautical Adventures references this view, calling Vincenzo's ousting a "Modhesian plot" and invoking the word "traitor" as many as five times.