GRANDI & ASSOCIATI TRANSLATION RIGHTS 2017 Frankfurter Buchmesse Hall 6.3 Table 2M
FICTION
Edoardo Albinati, UN ADULTERIO Rizzoli, June 2017, pp 126 Three editions in one week Erri and Clementina flee their humdrum lives to spend a weekend together on an island after falling for each other virtually at first sight. They lie about it to their respective spouses, and perhaps even to themselves. The risk they are running is huge but they’re driven by an uncontrollable passion. It’s a hurdle they need to overcome. However, Albinati does not tell the whole story of the novel’s two main characters, as they yearn to escape yet are imprisoned on the island. Only a few episodes of their adventure are revealed to the reader. Both stirring and sensuous, the book is also straightforward and brutally honest, yet the story is built on lies. There’s something for everyone in these compelling pages, whether you’ve had an affair, or you’d never dream of having one, or, deep down, you would just love to have one. Edoardo Albinati (Rome, 1956) has taught the inmates of Rome’s Rebibbia penitentiary for over twenty years, an experience he describes in his memoir Maggio selvaggio. He has written film scripts for Italian directors Matteo Garrone and Marco Bellocchio. He wrote Vita e morte di un ingegnere. In 2016 he wrote La Scuola Cattolica and won the Strega Book Prize (English translation of Chapter 1 is available). Rights sold to Atlas Contact (Holland), Lumen (Spain), Berlin Verlag (Germany), Farrar Straus & Giroux (USA), Picador (UK). Film/TV Rights: optioned to film director Marco Bellocchio, for a major tv series project, I.B.C. Movie - Kavac Film Rights sold: Pataki (Greece)
Federico Baccomo, ANNA STA MENTENDO Giunti, April 2017, pp. 280 A superbly crafted novel of outstanding originality Riccardo and Anna are co-workers who have recently started a relationship. While chatting on-line one day, a strange message appears on Riccardo’s mobile: it’s a new App sporting the peculiar name of WhatsTrue. Weird things begin to happen: more and more of Anna’s text messages arrive with a sinister warning: “Anna is lying…”. Is it a joke? Some kind of malicious advertising ploy? A hacker just having fun or… software that can actually detect when people are lying on their phones? Federico Baccomo cleverly and entertainingly creates a disturbing yet fascinating world running the most serious risk of all: that of obliterating what makes human beings unique: our flaws. Flaws that can destroy everything, including relationships. Federico Baccomo was born in Milan in 1978. He gave up a career as a lawyer to become a full-time writer. His best sellers include Studio illegale (2009), La gente che sta bene (2011) and Peep Show (2014), all published by Marsilio. The first two novels have been turned into films of the same name. In 2015, Giunti published Woody, a story that had Italian readers in stitches yet also tugged at their heart-strings. Rights sold: Metropolis Media Group (Hungary)
Sandrone Dazieri, L’ANGELO Mondadori, November 2016, pp. 456 Vol#2 New thriller featuring irresistible characters from Dazieri’s previous novel Uccidi il padre An attack on a high-speed train between Milan and Rome is initially attributed to Islamic extremists. Assistant Police Commissioner Colomba Caselli and Dante Torre uncover a mysterious woman pulling the terrorists’ strings. While still a child, this mysterious woman had survived the “attention” of the KGB’s Fifth Chief Directorate, in Vilnius. She insists on being called Giltine, the same name as the Lithuanian Goddess of Death; she suffers from Cotard’s Syndrome (she is convinced that she is already dead) and has moved to Venice to wreak her revenge. Meanwhile, Colomba, having returned to active duty, struggles to win back her colleagues’ trust and gets caught up in a steamy love affair with one of her men. Dante, on the other hand, is on the trail of his mysterious brother. Sandrone Dazieri is one of the foremost names in Italian noir fiction. Rights sold for the Trilogy: Alfaguara (World Spanish), Laffont (France), Scribner (World English), Piper (Germany), Hayakawa (Japan) Rights sold for Uccidi il padre: Patakis (Greece), Xander (Netherlands), Crime Scene Press (Romania), Ombra Gvg (Albania), MonoKl (Turkey), Művelt Nép (Hungary) Rights sold for L’Angelo: Hayakawa (Japan), Xander (Holland), Ombra GVG (Albania), Crime Scene Press (Romania) Translation rights: Grandi&Associati; Eastern Europe and Scandinavia: Jill Hughes Foreign Rights; World English: Denise Bukowski Film rights for the Trilogy: Jody Hotchkiss, Hotchkiss and Associates
Carlo De Filippis, IL PARADOSSO DI NAPOLEONE. Un’indagine del Commissario Vivacqua Mondadori, May 2017, pp. 310 The eponymous chief of police Superintendent Vivacqua heads the Turin Criminal Investigations Unit. He is your average southern Italian: gruff but soft-hearted, hot-tempered and sometimes caustic, and somewhat prone to bending the rules and disregarding red tape. In this story, Superintendent Vivacqua grapples with four seemingly unrelated crimes. He comes perilously close to being fired, is obliged to give into an ultimatum, and would rather lose his life than his face. Carlo Fausto De Filippis was born in Turin in 1957. He has a background in marketing and as a management consultant. He is an expert in communication and training and writes police thrillers. His crime novel series features Police Commissioner Salvatore Vivacqua. The first novel in the series, Le molliche del commissario (The police chief’s crumbs), sold 20 thousand copies simply by word of mouth. Rights sold: Alfaguara (Spain)
Camilla Dell’Orto Necchi, DOPO, TUTTO È PIÙ DOLCE Piemme, April 2017, pp. 320 Lives can go pear-shaped overnight. Betta Bennet’s does when the glossy fashion mag she’s been at for years suddenly fires her, forcing her to leave her posh flat in downtown Milan and her trendy lifestyle: goodbye A-list parties and farewell fabulous holidays on the island of Formentera. Shattered but determined to keep her chin up, she tries catering for a small company, striving to make her client’s dreams come true with delicious, affordable eats. She puts her heart and soul into the venture, and it shows. Against the glamorous backdrop of Milan, scrumptious food goes down a treat at spectacular parties (including a swanky reception at Milan’s iconic La Scala opera house). Alongside Betta are her charming but bumbling business partner, Tito, a team of soft-hearted waiters, and a surly, standoffish lawyer who’d easily be mistaken for Mr. Darcy, right down to his name. Ultimately Betta questions her own assumptions about what makes for a truly meaningful life, discovering that second chances can lead to unexpected opportunities, and moments of sheer bliss. Camilla Dell’Orto Necchi lives in Milan, where the worst financial crisis since the Depression put an abrupt end to her glamorous existence. Farewell fashion fests and cheerio cocktails at the Triennale. Thank goodness she always loved laying on the dreamiest dinner parties, a gift she managed to turn into a profession. Head over to her Facebook page or write to her at [email protected]. Rights sold: BTB (Germany)
Mario Desiati, CANDORE Einaudi, September 2016, pp. 232 “Candore is the novel of novels”, Roberto Saviano A straight-talking, candid, entertaining and at times gut-wrenchingly moving novel, Candore is about the appeal of the forbidden, the sex industry and the weaknesses of all men. Martino Bux, an eighteen-year-old non residential student, discovers that dreams can sometimes come true. Unattainable women suddenly appear before his very eyes in an adult movie theatre. He can watch them without being seen and enjoy them without having anyone to answer to. But very soon, for Martino, pornography turns into an obsession. Neither judgmental nor morbidly fascinated by the subject, Candore is a humorous and adventurous journey into the world of pornography. It’s the novel about lust and transgression that simply had to be written. But above all, it is a book for those who have ever wished, even just for a day, to leave common sense at home and turn away from all that is right or good, but never actually had the guts to fulfil their fantasies. Mario Desiati hails from Martina Franca and has published six novels. His book Il paese delle spose infelici was made into a film of the same name by Pippo Mezzapesa, and Ternitti (Mondadori, 2011) was a finalist in the Premio Strega. His previous works have been translated in Germany and Holland. Film/TV Rights: optioned to ALTRE STORIE
Fabio Geda, ANIME SCALZE Einaudi, April 2017, pp. 230 Ercole Santià spends his childhood piecing together the everyday bits and bobs of life. As resourceful as they are pig-headed, Ercole, his sister Asia, and their naïvely clueless father struggle to make ends meet. And yet, just like everyone else, the kids go to school, grow up and fall in love. Suddenly, however, Ercole’s world starts to fall apart. In his inimitably mellow style, Fabio Geda describes the trials, tribulations and marvels of a boy forced into premature adulthood and trying hard to fit in. It’s a story about dealing with first loves, distracted fathers, confused mothers and uneasy secrets. Fabio Geda (Turin, 1972) has published extensively and has been translated all over the world. His books include Per il resto del viaggio ho sparato agli indiani (Instar Libri 2007, Feltrinelli 2009), L’esatta sequenza dei gesti (Instar Libri 2008), Nel mare ci sono i coccodrilli (Baldini & Castoldi 2010), L’estate alla fine del secolo (Baldini & Castoldi 2011), Se la vita che salvi è la tua (Einaudi Stile Libero 2014) and the children’s book series Berlin by Mondadori. Film/Tv Rights for the Berlin Series: Oefa Oetinger Filmrechte, Germany. He cooperated with Giacomo Mazzariol to write the bestseller book Mio fratello rincorre i dinosauri (Einaudi 2016). Rights sold: Knaus Verlag (Germany), Nube de Tinta (Spain)
Gabriella Genisi, DOPO TANTA NEBBIA Sonzogno, September 2017, pp. 205 “Distinctive features: confrontational, strong-willed, ultra-feminine and possessed of an amazing sixth sense”, La Repubblica Police chief Lolita’s transfer up north to Padua is quite a struggle: she misses the sea, the sun and – above all – the warmth of her fellow southern Italians. But with the help and advice of deputy police chief Caruso, things start to look up. Uppermost in her mind is a disappearance. A boy who may have been bullied. Lolita is called back to her home town, Bari, where a murder is being investigated. A young harpist has been beaten to death in an apartment, and there’s a very odd witness. Television rights for the Lolita series have been optioned by Italian actor Luca Zingaretti, who has produced the internationally successful detective series “Inspector Montalbano”. Gabriella Genisi was born in 1965 and lives only a stone’s throw from Bari. She has written numerous books and is the creator of police chief Lolita Lobosco, who has featured in six novels published by Sonzogno: La circonferenza delle arance (2010), Giallo ciliegia (2011), Uva noir (2012), Gioco pericoloso (2014), Spaghetti all’Assassina (2015) and Mare nero (2016). Film/Tv rights: Zocotoco Srl
Lia Levi, QUESTA SERA È GIÀ DOMANI Edizioni e/o, January 2018, pp. about 256 Coming out in January to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day The place is Genoa, Italy. The time is the late Thirties, early Forties. A Jewish family is caught up in the Italian Racial Laws. There’s a son who could have been a genius, a bitter and frustrated mother, a wise but weak-willed father, an eccentric grandfather, an overpowering aunt and uncle, and cousins no sooner turn up than vanish again. Can personal repercussions be uppermost in your mind when history has landed you at a crucial crossroads? Is it better to try and stay in the country that is persecuting you, or try to escape from it? And if you choose to go, where to? Is there anywhere that will genuinely welcome you? The overarching tragedy that shapes the characters’ destinies is intertwined with the never-ending doubts, passions, weaknesses, urges and betrayals that drive the human comedy. This is a true story of desperation and courage, told anew, through the mysterious conjunctions of the soul that take us back to a tragic recent past. Lia Levi lives in Rome. She is a journalist (the editor-in-chief of the Jewish monthly Shalom for thirty years) and a writer of books for both adults and children. The Italian publishers Il Battello a Vapore have published many of her books including without an imprint name. She has received numerous coveted book awards.
Giuseppe Lupo, GLI ANNI DEL NOSTRO INCANTO Marsilio, September 2017, pp.160 This is a family saga set in the post-war years of Italy’s ‘economic miracle’, when people sang along to mindless pop songs, dreamed of rolling along the autostrada towards their holiday destinations, watched star- struck as the Americans launched satellites into outer space, and believed in the future. But the upbeat mood began to turn sour with the first student demonstrations and outbreaks of home-grown terrorism. In a heart- rending novel of extraordinary lyric beauty, Lupo depicts the highs and lows of 20th century Italy, as boom gives way to bust and the dreams and illusions of two generations give way to anguish and conflict. Giuseppe Lupo was born in southern Italy’s Lucania region, but lives in Lombardy where he lectures in contemporary Italian literature at the university. He is a multi-award winning author. He has also written non-fiction, as well as articles for the arts and culture supplement of Il Sole 24 Ore and L’Avvenire.
Valerio Massimo Manfredi, TEUTOBURGO Mondadori, September 2016, pp. 358 The battle of Teutoburg took place in the Teutoburg Forest (Germany) in 9 CE, when an alliance of Germanic tribes ambushed and decisively destroyed three Roman legions and their auxiliaries. The story is beautifully written by a world-wide expert writer. Valerio Massimo Manfredi (Modena, 1943) is an archaeologist and scholar of the ancient Greek and Roman world. His books have been translated worldwide. He has also written screenplays for film and television, and journalistic articles for many magazines in Italy and abroad, and has written and conducted cultural programmes and television documentaries for important international producers. Rights sold: Penguin Random House (Spain), Athenaeum (Holland), Psichogios (Greece), Ombra Gvg (Albania), Macmillan (World English)
Wanda Marasco, LA COMPAGNIA DELLE ANIME FINTE Neri Pozza, April 2017, pp. 240 Short listed for the Strega Book Prize 2017 This story, set in 1950s Naples, keeps readers turning pages. Against a backdrop of dilapidated once-majestic residences and cramped, filthy laneways, the lives of many “fake souls” become intertwined. This is a world of outcasts who have lost everything, including their soul. The novel begins as two families from different social classes come together, and turns into a flurry of voices and stories surfacing from Rosa, the narrator’s, past, delving almost clinically into the realm of the forgotten. The writer’s snappy yet densely poetic style is reminiscent of the evocative power and razor-sharp pen of Elena Ferrante, underpinned by an astonishingly gripping narrative. English sample soon available. Wanda Marasco was born and lives in Naples. In 2003 her novel L’arciere d’infanzia was published by Manni Editore, and won the Bagutta prize for the best debut novel. Her book Il genio dell’abbandono (Neri Pozza, 2015) was short listed for the Premio Strega and the Viareggio-Répaci Award. Rights sold: Hanser/Zsolnay Verlag (World German), Tusquets (World Spanish), Samlaget (Norway)
Bruno Morchio, UN PIEDE IN DUE SCARPE Rizzoli, October 2017, pp. 290 Genoa, 1992. Winter. As the city sets about smartening up its waterfront as part of the celebrations marking the five hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America, the murder of a young man named Luca sends shock waves through the lives of his closest friends. Lifting the lid on long-held passions and secrets. Two high-profile investigators take on the case: Diego Ingravallo, a police chief with a surname that raises eyebrows in literary circles, and psychologist Paolo Luzi, whose tragic past has left him with an amazing gift that at times is a wretched curse: the ability to see right through liars. In an investigation that will take them from the city’s big-name law firms and the stomping grounds of its rich and famous, to the rough-neck neighbourhoods of Genoa’s working classes, the two sleuths find themselves plunged into a chasm of fear and obsession. Bruno Morchio, was born in 1954 in Genoa, where he lives and works as a psychologist and psychotherapist. He is the author of the best-selling P.I. Bacci Pagano detective stories. His novel Il Testamento del Greco was published by Rizzoli in 2015.
Nino Motta, LA PARRUCCHIERA DI PIZZUTA Giunti, June 2017, pp. 224 Two editions in less than a month Rosa Lentini is a forty-plus single mum with a daughter and an absolute passion for philology. Summer is around the corner and Rosa decides to take some time off from the university where she teaches. So off she goes to the Sicilian town of Pizzuta, near Siracusa, with her mother Evelina, only to become slightly obsessed with the mysterious murder of a young hairdresser, the beautiful twenty-year-old Nunziatina Bellofiore, who only a short time before had opened up her own salon. What actually happened, and why has her death been shrouded in silence for more than fifty years? All Rosa has to go on are the vague recollections of townsfolk who were around at the time, and the weapons of philology. Against the never- changing backdrop of rural Sicily, Nino Motta brings a cast of unforgettable characters to life with a plot that is both the “critical record” of a crime and a tribute to female resilience. Nino Motta (Avola, 1956), making his debut with this novel, is none other than Paolo Di Stefano, who has written numerous books including Baci da non ripetere (1994), Tutti contenti (2003), Nel cuore che ti cerca (2008), La catastròfa (2011), and Giallo d'Avola (2013.
Laura Pugno, LA RAGAZZA SELVAGGIA Marsilio, March 2016, pp. 180 Short listed at 2017 Campiello Book Prize A biologist employed on a casual basis who lives in a container, Tessa is the last inhabitant of Stellaria, a nature reserve created by the university for research purposes, in the process of being cleared. She comes across Dasha, a feral child living in the forest where ten years earlier she was abandoned by her twin sister Nina, after both were orphaned by the Chernobyl disaster. A fairy tale in shades of noir, a philosophical novel and a family drama, La Ragazza Selvaggia gives a new and unusual twist to several themes that appeared in Laura Pugno’s first book, Sirene. In prose that is both terse and powerful, the author delves into a fictional world that is fascinating, original and perhaps prophetic. Laura Pugno was born in Rome. She published a book of short stories, Sleepwalking (Sironi, 2002), and four novels: Sirene (Einaudi, 2007), Quando verrai (minimum fax, 2009), Antartide (minimum fax, 2011) and La caccia (Ponte alle Grazie, 2012). Poetry: Il colore oro (Le Lettere, 2007), La mente paesaggio (Perrone, 2010) and Bianco (Nottetempo, 2016). Her poems have also been included in an anthology published by Einaudi entitled poeti italiani 6 (2012). She is at present the Director of the Italian Institute of Culture in Madrid.
Carla Maria Russo, LE NEMICHE Piemme, October 2017, pp. 360 Mantua, Court of the Gonzaga family, June 1501. Isabella d’Este receives a desperate letter from her brother Alfonso, heir to the throne of Ferrara. In it, he tells her that their father Ercole has given in to pressure from Pope Alexander VI, who was born Rodrigo Borgia, and promised Alfonso in marriage to his infamously illegitimate daughter, Lucretia Borgia. Isabella is horrified and agrees with Alfonso and their younger brother Ippolito to take steps to prevent the marriage. Failing in her quest, she determines to make Lucretia her sworn enemy. Wounded by her future sister-in-law’s behaviour, Lucretia decides to make Isabella pay dearly for her hostility. All around Isabella and Lucretia, high passion, intrigue and betrayals tear apart two of the Renaissance’s most powerful families. Carla Maria Russo lives and works in Milan. She is passionate about historical research and loves libraries where she has spent a lot of time. For Piemme she published La sposa normanna, Il Cavaliere del Giglio, L’amante del Doge, Lola nascerà a diciott’anni and La regina irriverente.
Michela Tilli, BASTA UN ATTIMO Garzanti, October 2017, pp. 200 The novel is the story of two women – two mothers who rediscover they have a lot more in common than they thought. Unremitting heartache brings them together, as does unconditional love for their children. A mother will do anything it takes to hold on to what she cares about – and what gives meaning to her life. This is the story of the greatest love of all: a mother’s love for her children. A love that nothing and no one can ever destroy. A love that a mother will fight tooth and nail to protect, whatever it costs. Following her critically acclaimed best-selling debut novel, Michela Tilli’s new book is another hauntingly beautiful story. English and German samples available. Michela Tilli was born in Savona in 1974 and lives in Monza. She holds a degree in philosophy and books have always been at the forefront of her career. Her passions are fiction and the theatre. Garzanti published her extremely successful book Ogni giorno come fossi bambina, published in Germany and Lituania.
Giuseppina Torregrossa, CORTILE NOSTALGIA Rizzoli, May 2017, pp. 240 “I’m thrilled to be called the Sicilian Isabel Allende, but I hate it when people call my books women’s fiction. What does it even mean? My books are for everyone” Torregrossa’s reply to an article that appeared in the Huffington Post. The vivid colours of Palermo described by Torregrossa bring to mind the raw realism depicted by Italian painter Renato Guttuso: the lively Vucciria, Il Capo and Ballarò outdoor markets symbolise the very soul of this amazing multicultural city. There’s a little square in Palermo that’s magical: every night unsuspecting passers-by are abducted by seven fairies who whizz them off to parts unknown, only to return them home utterly bewildered, at sunrise. When Mario Mancuso, an orphan who lives in the square, meets Melina he is plunged into the warmth of a loving family that fate had deprived him of. Giuseppina Torregrossa’s choral novel is an upbeat depiction of the human need to be enfolded in a warm embrace, whether by a mother, a husband, a friend or a city whose doors are open day and night. Giuseppina Torregrossa has homes in Rome and Palermo. Her first novel, L’assaggiatrice (2007), was followed by Il conto delle minne (2009), Manna e miele, ferro e fuoco (2011), Panza e prisenza (2013) and La miscela segreta di casa Olivares (2014). Rizzoli published Il figlio maschio in 2015 (also listed in the Rizzoli Vintage series and in BUR).
Alberto Vigevani, L’INVENZIONE Sellerio, February 2017, pp. 184 L’invenzione was first published almost half a century ago. It is now out again to take its rightful place alongside such 20th century classics as Fred Uhlman’s Reunion and Aharon Appelfeld’s All whom I have loved. The stylish setting is Milan, the period between the first and second world wars, and the story is a tale of friendship between two young Jewish boys, one of whom is ill. The threat of another war is looming, marking the end of an era. The boys make friends quite by accident, and almost reluctantly, to keep their families happy rather than out of any real desire to bond. Leonardo is a country boy, a despondent orphan left in the care of his two loving aunts, Delfina and Imelde. The other boy (the author) is struggling to keep up at school but so wants to please Leonardo that he makes a childish effort to impress him. Their relationship thrives on leisurely walks, movies and chitchat. Determined to get Leonardo to like him, the other boy creates an imaginary girlfriend. He starts by casually mentioning her, adding more and more details until he eventually makes up a whole love story. Alberto Vigevani (Milan, 1918-1999) was a story-teller, publisher and bibliophile. Inspired by his own personal recollections, he wrote novels, short stories and lyrical poetry. L’invenzione was translated into German (Friedenauer Presse). Other works have been translated into German, French and Spanish.
NON – FICTION
Antonio Forcellino, LEONARDO DA VINCI - Vita di un uomo senza lettere Laterza, October 2016, pp. 296 Scientist, visionary, sublime painter, eccentric and ambitious: Leonardo Da Vinci lived many lives. To tell us all about them is one of the world’s leading experts on Renaissance art. The myth and the man, who in the introductions to his works described himself as “a man without Latin learning”, can now be fully understood thanks to the restoration of some of his celebrated works of art. The analysis of his paintings and of the details of his compositional techniques are essential keys to deciphering this genius’ personality. Along with his “scientific” texts and a plethora of archival documents, Antonio Forcellino pieces together the story of Leonardo, the man and painter, whose often difficult and painful existence has, at times, been overshadowed by the myths surrounding him. Antonio Forcellino is one of Europe’s foremost authorities on Renaissance art. He is the author of many scientific works and has published Michelangelo. Una vita inqueta (2005), Raffaello. Una vita felice (2006) and 1545. Gli ultimi giorni del Rinascimento (2008). All have been translated into many different languages. Rights sold: Polity Books (World English)
Mike Maric, LA SCIENZA DEL RESPIRO Vallardi, October 2017, pp. 224 A guide to learning how to breathe properly: if you control your breathing, you are in control of your body and your mind, and therefore of your life. Breathing is something that we do repeatedly every day, thousands and thousands of times. Breathing is the first necessity to human survival, but it is also the most underestimated. Which is why learning to breathe well improves our health, and takes a significant step towards achieving mental and physical wellbeing through managing tiredness, stress and emotions. Mike Maric guides us through a journey for everyone and all ages, packed with exercises, experiences to try out, practical advice and tricks for breathing in a way that will improve the quality of our lives in all its aspects. Mike Marić is a doctor and free diving world champion; he is a breathing scientist and main reference as a coach for internationally acclaimed athletes. Translation Rights: Antonio Vallardi Editore
Gabriele Nissim, LA LETTERA A HITLER Mondadori, April 2015, pp. 304 Armin T. Wegner’s history, lone fighter against the genocides of the twentieth century. The book, winner of Premio Fiuggi and soon to be published in paperback edition, tells about Armin Wegner’s life who denounced the horror of the genocide of the Armenians. With a letter addressed directly to Hitler, Armin Wegner was the first to denounce the Armenian genocide of 1915-16. An author and tireless champion of human rights, he later also denounced the Holocaust and the failings of Communism. With a painstaking historical reconstruction and based on numerous letters from the family archives, Nissim pens a biography of the man who had the courage to speak out against the genocides of the 20th century. Gabriele Nissim (Milano 1950), essayist, founded in 1982 L'Ottavo Giorno, an Italian magazine about the clandestine dissent in the East of Europe. He published with Mondadori, with Gabriele Eschenazi, Ebrei invisibili: I sopravvissuti dell’Europa orientale dal comunismo a oggi, L’uomo che fermò Hitler, Il tribunale del bene. Rights sold: Aras (Turkey), Salon Literatur Verlag (Germany)
Simone Perotti, ATLANTE DELLE ISOLE DEL MEDITERRANEO Bompiani, October 2017, pp. 250 “For the longest time I kept trying, sailing around the coastline, sketching and taking notes on paper and in my mind’s eye. I thought I knew how to do it, and that it could actually be done. But then when I started writing about the Mediterranean islands, I just had to give up. I had no idea what to describe, much less how. And when I did manage to put something together it hardly seemed real. I couldn’t dredge up my own recollections. Maybe it’s because islands don’t mean anything, they just are. Meaning can be explained, being can’t. All you can do is seek it. And, if you’re lucky, sometimes you can find it”. Simone Perotti is an author and essayist, but he’s also a sailor. His novels include: Zenzero e Nuvole (1995 Bompiani, 2004); Stojan Decu, l’altro uomo, (Bompiani 2005); Vele (2008); L’Estate del Disincanto (Bompiani, 2007); Uomini Senza Vento (2010); L’Equilibrio della farfalla (2012); Un uomo temporaneo (2016); Rais (2017). His essays include the long-seller Adesso Basta (2009, 20 editions), Avanti tutta (2011) and Ufficio di scollocamento (2012), all on the subject of downshifting; Dove sono gli Uomini (2013) examines the issues faced by modern women.
Nello Scavo, PERSEGUITATI Piemme, February 2017, pp. 294 “Let us pray for Christians suffering persecution, often amid the shameful silence of so many”, Pope Francis Throughout the world, 322 Christians are murdered every month. This report describes how innocent people all over the world are discriminated against, banished, oppressed and even murdered solely because they are true to the principles of their faith. Over the course of a three year investigation, the author – travelling incognito – visited Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, as well as Africa and South America, gathering evidence of torture, abuse and abduction, but above all shedding light on the driving force behind such horrors. The investigation seeks to understand if religion really is the only motive, or whether it is merely the excuse for a greed-driven quest for power. Nello Scavo is an international crime reporter. He writes for the Italian daily “Avvenire”. His investigations have ventured into organised crime and global terrorism. He has covered some of the world’s “hot spots”. His previous books were La lista di Bergoglio (EMI, 2013), Bergoglio. I sommersi e i salvati (Piemme 2014) and I nemici di Francesco (Piemme 2015) that was translated in several languages. Rights sold: Spolok sv. Vojtecha (Slovakia)
Franco Cardini, Sergio Valzania, DUNKERQUE Mondadori, August 2017, pp. 260 Franco Cardini and Sergio Valzania co-wrote this book about Operation Dynamo, a true story that reads like an action-packed novel. During the Second World War, over a period of nine days, 180,000 British soldiers and 140,000 French and Belgian troops were evacuated from the beaches – and the only jetty still in operation – of the port town of Dunkerque, situated on the northern coast of France, under relentless fire from German artillery and the Luftwaffe. To succeed in such a monumental enterprise, and under extraordinarily hostile conditions, the English admiralty commandeered all available British civilian boats and leisure craft. The response was enthusiastic, and an amazing degree of selflessness was displayed. Operation Dynamo was arguably an epic undertaking. Franco Cardini is Professor Emeritus of Mediaeval History and Directeur de Recherches at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris; he is also a Fellow of Harvard University. Mondadori has published: Il Barbarossa, Francesco d’Assisi, La vera storia della Lega lombarda, Quell’antica festa crudele, Alla corte dei papi, Giovanna D’Arco, Il guardiano del Santo Sepolcro (co-written with Simonetta Della Seta) and, with co-author Sergio Valzania, Le radici perdute dell’Europa and La scintilla. He is also the author of I Re Magi: storia e leggende, Europa e Islam: storia di un malinteso, In Terrasanta: pellegrini italiani tra Medioevo e prima età moderna, L'invenzione dell'Occidente, Il libro delle feste: il cerchio sacro dell’anno, Europa, Europae.
CHILDREN
Luigi Garlando, IO E IL PAPU Rizzoli, April 2017, pp. 220 Arcadio is eleven and hasn’t uttered a word since the night of the attack that left his mother seriously injured. He writes a letter to Pope Francis who immediately realizes that this child must be very special indeed, because his letter contains nothing but football cards. Francis ventures out in disguise with a mission: to liberate the child from the cage of fear in which he is trapped. And Arcadio’s beloved football cards are the key. Italy’s leading children’s book writer tells the poignant story of an extraordinary man, inspired by this most popular and caring of Popes, and his friendship with a little boy who needs him to start his life over again.
Luigi Garlando, L’ESTATE CHE CONOBBI IL CHE Rizzoli, April 2015, pp. 179 Winner of the Children’s Strega Prize 2017 and the International Board on Books for Young People has chosen this title as 2015 Best Italian Children’s Fiction Book. Cesare is a 12-year-old from a rich family living in the North of Italy and doesn’t seem to be lacking anything. On his birthday he receives some bad news: he finds out that the family business is in trouble and more importantly, his grandfather ends up in hospital. While Cesare watches him being carried into the ambulance, he can’t help but notice the tattoo on his shoulder. Who is the man with the beard? He is Ernesto Guevara, commonly known as “Che” Guevara. And it will be his grandfather, Riccardo, who will tell him all about Che’s life – from his travels in South America to the revolution in Cuba. Rights sold: Edicions Bromera (Catalan Language) Luigi Garlando is a journalist at the Gazzetta dello Sport and a successful writer for many Italian publishers as Rizzoli, Mondadori and Piemme. His most popular books include: Per questo mi chiamo Giovanni (more than 400.000 copies sold and a new special edition with new illustrations by Alessandro Sanna was published this year by Rizzoli), Mio papà scrive la guerra (Winner of the Cento 2005 Award). In May 2006 Il Battello a Vapore published the first volume GOL 1 of the famous bestselling series by Garlando which has now reached episode GOL 53. The series sold about 2.000.000 copies and is translated worldwide.
Mavis Miller, LISBETH Series “Lisbeth’s adventure teaches never to give up, to look beyond appearances and to accept differences”, Andersen LISBETH e il segreto della Città d’Oro #1 De Agostini, June 2016, pp. 400 Nowhere in the world is there a place happier than the Golden City, and nowhere are there people happier than its inhabitants. At 13 years of age their hair turns to gold and their feet leave the ground as they fly through the air. It is for this reason that all the children of the Golden City await their thirteenth birthday with some apprehension. Including Lisbeth, who is in a great hurry to grow up so she can attend Bright College and at last catch up with her best friend, André. But something goes wrong. On the morning of her thirteenth birthday Lisbeth wakes up with her usual mousy brown hair and when she tries to fly, she falls flat on her face. The little girl sets out on a journey beyond the safe walls of the Golden City to discover her destiny. Here, she makes new friends who will change her life, and discovers that the world can be viewed from many different perspectives. Short listed at the Bancarellino Book Prize. (Spanish sample available) LISBETH e il Giardino dei Fiori Incantati #2 De Agostini, May 2017, pp. 350 Peace reigns once more in the City of Gold. But everything that glitters is not gold. Lisbeth feels lonely. Her best friend, André, is now the Prince of the City and must leave his old life behind him. Lisbeth also misses Shila, her favourite teacher, who has vanished into thin air. Why has no one heard from her? Investigating her disappearance, Lisbeth learns some unexpected truths, discovering that the Wild Lands and the City of Gold are more closely intertwined than anyone could have suspected. Just like her and André. An Italian author releases book two in her amazing new fantasy series. The first was recommended by the Italian literary magazine Tuttolibri as one of the best summer reading books for youngsters. Mavis Miller is Maria Daniela Raineri’s pseudonym when she writes books for Children and Young Adults. Four of her novels have been translated and published in Spain, Portugal and Germany. One of them, Meno male che ci sei (2007), is a best-seller that sold 50,000 copies in Italy alone, and has been made into a film. #1 Lisbeth e il segreto della Città d’Oro marks her debut in children’s fiction.
Cristina Obber, Silvia Vinciguerra, W I NONNI! Settenove, September 2017, pp. 24 Toddlers begin to recognise their own identity and “gender role” by the age of three. This book uses simple, flowing language to delve into the issue of “caring”, in a story where every member of the family – both male and female – helps ensure everyone’s wellbeing. The grandparents, the elderly, play a major role in the novel, as they go about their daily lives – including their love life. Cristina Obber was born in 1964 in Italy’s Veneto region. In 2008 Baldini Castoldi Dalai published her novel Amiche e ortiche, a bittersweet portrayal of friendship among women. In 2009 and 2010, the publishing house Attilio Fraccaro put out Primi baci and Balilla e piccole italiane. In 2012, Unicopli published Non lo faccio più, a book about gender-based violence, presented through the eyes of both the victims and the perpetrators. Piemme has published her novels Siria Mon Amour and L’altra parte di me.
Cristina Zagaria, I PICCOLI PRINCIPI DEL RIONE SANITÀ Il Battello a Vapore, October 2017, pp.180 What would happen if the Aviator in Saint-Exupéry’s Little Prince had landed in the Sanità quarter of Naples, instead of in the desert? Uhuru, a young African boy making his way to Switzerland, stops over in Naples. He goes to a migrant reception centre in the Sanità quarter of the city, hoping for shelter, but by the time he gets there it’s closed so he takes up residence on a park bench in front of a church. The local kids see him and start call him “Yo’, Aviator!”. Just like Saint-Exupéry’s aviator, Uhuru discovers a whole new world through the eyes of Sanità’s children. A world of contradictions, harsh lives and crime, but also of great beauty and people who love their neighbourhood and strive to give it a better future. Cristina Zagaria is a journalist, writer and mother. She lives in Naples where she writes for La Repubblica. Her books Malanova and Veleno have been published by Sperling&Kupfer. Cuore di pugile was published by Il Battello a Vapore.