[attach id=478906 size="medium"][/attach]

Tonio Borg:
Hekk Nafhom Jien: Rakkonti Dwar Persuni li Ltqajt Magħhom.
Kite Group, 2015.

The English translation of the book’s title is: That’s How I know them: Stories about people I have met. Tonio Borg uses the word ‘persons’, not personalities. Indeed the underlying theme is how these individuals intervened in his personal life and left their impression or mark. A good number of them come from a political background (understandable, because of the author’s long and successful career in politics); others are religious (also understandable because of his Jesuit training and Christian philosophy of life) and a few are just characters he knew in Valletta or through his beloved grandmother.

In 350 pages the author introduces us to 58 characters. These are essentially sketches, not finished portraits; and as sketches they retain that freshness, sincerity and directness, which an artist manages to achieve with his first unadulterated attempt. Alla prima!

That is precisely what makes this series of short chapters most enjoyable. You tour through them with ease. The author is well-known for his gift of communication, so the reader is bound to relax and enjoy himself. The Maltese he uses is colloquial and his style is flowing narrative. That is how Borg comes across in life. That is how he reaches us through his pen.

In this very short review I cannot really delve as deep as I would like to, so I shall now limit myself to quote just a sentence or two from a few of his essays, just to offer you a taste.

He quotes the inimitable Giovanni Bonello in a case concerning alleged torture in Turkey. To the argument that the onus of proof in torture falls on the victim, judge Bonello retorted with his typical incisive satire, “Independent observers are not usually invited to witness the rack, nor is a transcript of proceedings in triplicate handed over at the end of each session of torture.”

When Dom Mintoff declared in Parliament that he was ready to kill anyone who wanted to destroy democracy, George Borg Oliver, calmly remarked, “Beware, Perit, you may have to commit suicide!”

On Mgr Philip Calleja: “Behind his soft voice there is a determination of steel and an exceptional fount of energy.”

The author is well known for his gift of communication, so the reader is bound to relax and enjoy himself

He recounts how the staunch Eddie Fenech Adami, in the presence of the slain Raymond Caruana, appealed to all for calm, not vengeance. That was the moment when we had to live our Christian principles.

On the most loving Wallace Gulia, a man of culture and profound humanity, the author recounts when he went to see this judge in hospital: “When he saw me, his face lit up and he kissed my hands. I left with tears in my eyes, certain that I would not see him again.”

On Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, he writes: “Beneath the semblance of a quiet man, lies a sharp intellect and a strong determination. He could restrain and save his energy and resources for his wars, not skirmishes.”

On Giuseppe Mifsud Bonnici: “He still attends wherever he is invited. Always accompanied by his dear wife, Maria, you can hear him from afar and, as usual, he rules the conversation.”

On Ugo Mifsud Bonnici: “With Ugo as your lawyer you always felt protected when he defended you. He has never faltered whenever his party or anyone whose rights had been trampled upon, requested his help.”

There is a sentence about Mintoff when he had grown old and isolated, which is very moving and oozes pathos: “I sometimes saw him alone in the sun, in Valletta, waiting for someone to drive him back home.”

On Anton Tabone: “He was deeply jealous of Gozitans’ rights and always vigilant for any comment, act or measure which could infer that the Gozitans were second class citizens...He used to say that he did not mind Gozo remaining like a crib as long as the Gozitans were not reduced to figurines.”

And on Censu Tabone: “He was one of the very few Members of Parliament that were able to stand up, interrupt Mintoff and argue with him… In spite of his age he was young in his ideas and initiatives… every one knew he was genuine and had no hidden agenda.”

I have enjoyed this kaleidoscope of colourful sketchy reminiscences, imbued with biography and autobiography and dunked in contemplations and observations. I am sure you would do the same.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.