During the last decade, some Gozitan writers, among them the late Can Joe Meilak, Fr George Mercieca, Charles Bezzina, John Cremona and Joe W. Psaila have published poetry works in Maltese. We have also been regaled with two enjoyable books of short stories by Joe Camilleri.

Now George N. Cassar has published the second edition of ‘Zmien il-Hsad,’ a collection of essays and other writings. I am sure that hundreds of Gozitans remember Mr Cassar as a teacher of Maltese at the Gozo Lyceum. During the last ten years of his career with the Education Department, he was Head of the Ninu Cremona Complex and later of the M. A Refalo Post-Secondary Schools.

There is a variety of subjects. Each essay is roughly two pages long. The style is clear, direct and in idiomatic Maltese, often in a light vein and sprinkled with incidents that are a personal experience of the author. Cassar’s writing is lightly didactic without being heavy going, with colourful anecdotes from everyday life with its light and dark sides.

Other essays treat common social ills, amongst which, envy, anger, shyness, fear and gossip. Cassar also wrote six open letters to his nephew to guide him along life’s path. The topics chosen are time, friendship, happiness, work, marriage and children. Included at the end is a translation of one of Luigi Pirandello’s most original short stories. Students, especially in the upper forms of Secondary Schools are encouraged to obtain a copy.

The book is on sale from Preca’s library and bookshops in Victoria.

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