The Premio Strega Europeo, the European section of the prestigious Italian Strega Award confirms its collaboration with the Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino, Italy’s largest publishing event due to take place from May 15 - 19. The nominees will present their shortlisted books at the bookfair: the five individual events are scheduled between Friday May, 16th and Sunday May 18th.
The award ceremony and announcement of the winner will take place on Sunday, May 18th at 18.30 at the Circolo dei Lettori in Turin. Recently announced by Claudia Durastanti and Nicola Lagioia, to follow are the five shortlisted titles, with their original publisher, their Italian publisher, name of the translator and the European award the book has won:
· Jan Brokken, La scoperta dell’Olanda, winner of the Gouden Ganzenveer award, translated by Claudia Cozzi for Iperborea. Presentation on Thursday, May 15th, at 15.45 – Sala Azzurra, with Alessandro Zaccuri.
· Mircea Cărtărescu, Theodoros, winner of the Dublin Literary Award and translated by Bruno Mazzoni for Il Saggiatore. Presentation on Sunday, May 18th, at 11.45 – Sala Bianca, with Maurizio Crosetti.
· Terézia Mora, La metà della vita, winner of the Georg Büchner Preis and translated by Daria Biagi for Gramma Feltrinelli. Presentation on Saturday, May 17th, at 12.45 – Sala internazionale, with Helena Janeczek.
· Paul Murray, Il giorno dell’ape, winner of the Irish Book Award, translated by Tommaso Pincio for Einaudi. Presentation on Saturday, May 17th, at 17.00 – Sala Azzurra, with Sandro Veronesi.
· Iida Turpeinen, L’ultima sirena, winner of the Helsingin Sanomat Literature Prize, translated by Nicola Rainò for Neri Pozza. Presentation on Friday, May 16th, at 16.00 – Sala internazionale, with Dente.
The selected books are five recently translated works awarded by an important national accolade in their countries of origin: five different voices representing different literary traditions and linguistic areas. Five ways of exploring the possible horizons of the contemporary novel. The Premio Strega Europeo also awards the translator of the winning book.
The prize is awarded every year by a jury composed of 25 Italian writers, shortlistees and winners of the Premio Strega. Marco Amerighi, Silvia Avallone, Marco Balzano, Giuseppe Catozzella, Benedetta Cibrario, Mario Desiati, Paolo Di Paolo, Donatella Di Pietrantonio, Claudia Durastanti, Paolo Giordano, Helena Janeczek, Nicola Lagioia, Lia Levi, Melania G. Mazzucco, Daniele Mencarelli, Marco Missiroli, Matteo Nucci, Valeria Parrella, Romana Petri, Sandra Petrignani, Veronica Raimo, Antonio Scurati, Elena Stancanelli, Domenico Starnone, Sandro Veronesi.
Born in 2014 on the occasion of the Italian presidency of the Council of the European Union and aiming to spread awareness around the most relevant voices of contemporary fiction, the European Strega prize is promoted by the Maria and Goffredo Bellonci Foundation, by the Strega Alberti Benevento company, in collaboration with BPER Banca, Salone Internazionale del libro di Torino and the Turin Circolo dei Lettori. RAI is the media partner, the technical sponsors Librerie Feltrinelli and SYGLA.