Una vita is the first novel published in 1892 by Italo Svevo, the author of the seminal modernist novel, Zeno's Conscience. Originally titled Un inetto – inetto may be translated as 'inept,' unfit', 'unsuitable' or 'incapable' – this name was rejected by the publisher, who requested that it be changed to Una vita – 'A Life' – which is also the name of a famous Maupassant novel. The first draft was submitted in 1888. It was refused by the publishing house Treves, and wasn't published until 1892 by Vram, at the expense of Svevo himself. The original title, Un inetto, was perhaps intended to illustrate the psychology of the main character and, in a certain sense, the pessimism typical of the author. Source: Wikipedia (en)