In January (2010) Mario
Azzopardi was interviewed on (University) Radio Campus FM by Sergio Grech, CEO
of the National Book Council.
The interview focused mostly
on Azzopardi's latest book for young adults, L-Ahhar Granet ta' Ciorni but also
went into debating censorship.
While maintaining his
consistent position against the censorship of literature and all other art
forms, Azzopardi said that he agrees that works for children and
adolescents should be classified, like what happens for films. He also
opined, however, that local authors are generally reluctant to write about
concrete realities which confront the young generation.
"It would be naive for
us to think that we should guard young readers' 'innocence'; theirs is not an
innocent world and this should actually be expressed in the literature they
read. Fairy tales are OK but it would be false and even dangerous to let
kids live in a balloon of illusion. Out there the environment is harsh and unforgiving."
Asked why is it that his
recent books for the younger generation have struck a strong chord with adults
as well, Azzopardi said that this is probably due to the exposure many people
now in their late thirties or early forties have had to his poetry, which has
been a constant feature in literature syllabi. "It could also mean
that this section of adult readers are being exposed for the first
time in Maltese narratives that in their youth were considered as
taboo," explained the author to his listeners.
On what are the main
sources of his short stories, Azzopardi explained that he had been teaching for
many years in schools which had gained notoriety for housing children and
adolescents with difficulties. He was mostly taking devised drama sessions with
these kids and this brought him face to face with stories that often sounded
stranger than fiction and heavy with almost incredible details.