  The spectroscopic and photometric evolution of the 1999 outburst of the
eclipsing and recurrent nova U Sco is presented. The photometric evolution
closely matches that of the previous events. The FWZI=10,000 km/sec for
emission lines at maximum has decreased to 4000 km/sec by day +23, with
continuous and dramatic changes in the line profiles. No nebular line has
become visible and the ionization degree has increased during the brightness
decline. A not previously reported and quite puzzling splitting of the emission
lines into three components after the first two weeks is outstanding in our
spectra. The radiated luminosity is found to be a tiny fraction of that of
classical novae for any reasonable distance to U Sco.
