Strega Prize 2024, here we go. Here are the top ten candidates

The Strega Prize opens the dance with the first ten candidates. Important books of the publishing season are already in the arena. Big publishers will have to juggle multiple applications. Meanwhile, there have been candidates for Einaudi Things that aren’t told Of Antonella Lattanzi (proposed by Valeria Parrella), a shocking memoir on the desire for motherhood, e The lovers Of Peppe Fiore (presented by Marco Cassini), which through an experienced couple tells of the impulses, lies and disappointments of falling in love.

The other double under the hat of a great brand is at Bompiani, where it is Giuseppe Genna con Yara. True crime (nominated by Ferruccio Parazzoli), at the center is the distressing and mysterious story of the killing of Yara Gambirasio, and Andrea Piva, The eternal girl, psychedelic novel which tells of a woman who experimentally cures depression with psilocybin, ayahuasca and LSD. The book won over Nicola Lagioia who wanted to nominate it.

But in the first group of challengers there is also a rich representation of independents, who propose a literature between reality and fictional fiction. Adrian N. Bravi participate for Nourishes with Adelaidea fictional homage to the courageous life of the Argentine artist Adelaida Gigli, an exceptional female figure presented in the competition by Romana Petri. Eduardo Savaresein competition with The Mothers of Wisdom (Wojtek), makes its entrance, sponsored by Riccardo Cavallero, with a novel that catapults the supernatural into everyday life. Three women instead confront each other – mother, daughter, grandmother – in the novel by Angela Giannitrapani In the house next door (Progredit, proposed by Raffaele Nigro), while a hilarious narrative game involving Kafka is the soul of Ludmilla and the raven Of Gennaro Serio (The footprint, proposed by Giuseppe Lupo). The power of literature is instead at the center of the fantastic universe of Our Lady of the Clouds Of Mirko Zilahy, where a child and his mother build a fairy-tale universe to defend themselves from reality (HarperCollins, nominated by Roberto Ippolito). Added to the list is yellow Antonella Di Fabio, The murder of Valle Giulia (Frilli, presented by Massimiliano Minerva) which investigates the conviction of a man for a murder during 1968 in Rome.

It’s just the first taste, new candidates will be announced every week, until March 1st, when applications will close. According to the regulations, each book must be proposed by a Friend of Sunday. We would like to remind you that there are 400 Friends who form the historical jury of the prize. The candidate books will be announced on 4 April, selected by the prize’s steering committee chaired by Melania Mazzucco. The five-match series will instead be played on June 5th.

Meanwhile, the Bellonci Foundation sends the proposal to participate back to the sender Fulvio Abbate (The emblem, The ship of Theseus), who provocatively nominated himself as Friend of the Sunday. The motivation refers to article 1 of the regulation, which states: “Each Amico della Domenica may indicate, with the author’s consent, a work that he considers worthy of participating in the prize. Each report must be accompanied by a brief critical opinion.”