The Standard Life of a Temporary Pantyhose Salesman

Meeting at the usual place, the Shakespeare Hotel, 200 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, on Thursday 13 August 2026, we will be discussing The Standard Life of a Temporary Pantyhose Salesman by Aldo Busi. It is a sprawling, semi-autobiographical picaresque novel, first published in Italian in 1985. It established Busi as one of Italy's most original and controversial contemporary writers. The novel follows Angelo Basarovi, a highly educated gay man in his thirties who is completing a university thesis while earning a living as a temporary pantyhose salesman. Angelo and the owner of the factory travel across Western Europe trying to sell hosiery, but the sales trips are really a framework for Angelo's observations on the people and institutions around him. Angelo reflects on his childhood, his homosexuality, class differences and the the search for authenticity in a conformist society. This is quite a long novel, at about 430 pages. Soft copies available from the usual places, including a pdf from Dale: email me at dalemills@cantab.net As this is a novel translated from the Italian, it may be a bit difficult to find hard copies through local libraries. Hard copies can be on the expensive side - at least from ebay and Amazon. As this is a novel translated from the Italian, it may be a bit difficult to find hard copies through local libraries. Hard copies can be on the expensive side. Some of us will be there from about 6.00pm onwards, but the meeting formally starts at 7.00pm. We will be meeting in one of the semi-private rooms upstairs. Look for the sign.