Nicola Lagioia

Nicola Lagioia is an Italian novelist born in 1973 in Bari, Puglia. He is one of the most important voices in Italian literature of his generation and has also been a prominent cultural organizer: he served as director of the Turin International Book Fair from 2017 to 2022, one of the most significant roles in Italian publishing. Lagioia is the author of three novels. His debut Tre sistemi per sbarazzarsi di Tolstoj (senza rimanere colpevoli) (2001) established his distinctive voice. Riportando tutto a casa (2009) brought him wider recognition and the Premio Volponi and Premio Viareggio. La ferocia (Ferocity), his 2015 Premio Strega winner, is a dark, sprawling novel set in Bari and the surrounding Apulia, following a wealthy family's collapse after the mysterious death of the youngest daughter. The novel draws on crime fiction, family saga, and social critique. La ferocia was translated into English by Antony Shugaar and published to wide critical acclaim, establishing Lagioia's reputation internationally. The novel is considered one of the finest Italian novels of the decade. Since leaving the Turin Book Fair, Lagioia has continued writing and is a significant voice in Italian cultural life.