Cezaro Rossetti, Kredu Min, Sinjorino!

About: Somewhat fictionalized (I assume) memoir originally written in Esperanto (English title: Believe Me, Madame!). The author describes his sometimes financially precarious life as a salesman, principally of a certain type of cooking pot, in the first half of the 20th century.

Verdict: The book is lauded as a classic Esperanto "novel" and appears on William Auld's Basic Reading List of Esperanto literature. I wouldn't say it's all that: If it were written in English rather than Esperanto, it would have been forgotten long ago. But it is interesting because it brings to life a seemingly forgotten world of door-to-door salesmen and shines light on the subculture of professional salespeople that Rossetti inhabited. The author, too, is a likable fellow, clever and business-savvy—and in fact his business took a surprising turn when he expanded his marketing to include readings by a mind reader (aka his wife and business partner). Very little talk of Esperanto in the book, in fact, but written in fluent prose.

Publication: 2025 · 282 pages [orig. published 1950]
Rating: 4 stars