2024 Turin International Book Fair
It’s that time of year again. We’re gearing up for the 2024 Turin International Book Fair (aka the Salone del Libro), which this year takes place May 9 – 13, 2024. You can read more about the Festival, including logistics and some history, in my post from last year. I took a quick gander at the program, which looks interesting. They continue to add authors and events each day, although it is always a gamble as to whether you’ll be able to get a seat at the events you want, and whether they’ll actually go forward. You may recall my disappointment with having booked the last spot for Svetlana Aleksievič’s event last year, only to find out that it had been canceled (no reason given).
The most recent news, announced today, is that Salman Rushdie will be in conversation with Roberto Saviano on Friday, May 10. Rushdie has been making the rounds since his new memoir, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, came out a week ago. As the title suggests, he talks about the repercussions following the attack on him at the Chautauqua Center in New York in August 2022. It should be an extremely compelling conversation as they are both living under threats to their safety, Rushdie due to the fatwa issued against him in 1989, and Saviano due to his publications related to organized crime here in Italy. Saviano first published Gomorra in 2006, and has been living under police protection since then.
Katja Petrowskaja
The author I would like to see, if I can make sense of the frustrating booking system, is Katja Petrowskaja. Born in Kyiv, she lives in Germany and writes in German. Her debut book is the memoir Maybe Esther. It sounds fascinating since it traces her family’s and therefore her origins across Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Germany. I was lucky enough to find a hardback edition on sale here in Italy, and I’m hoping maybe I can take it with me to the Salone and have her sign it. If not, though, I have the book.
World Book and Copyright Day
Coincidentally today, April 23, is also the UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day. You can read more about the history of this date here. In my opinion, though, every day is World Book Day, but I do think it’s special that it’s recognized in this way by UNESCO. Have you picked up a book today?
Pulling at Threads is my occasional newsletter. It always accompanies my blog posts but I sometimes send infrequent updates on other goings on. If you want more of an “insider’s” view on what’s happening in my reading and writing life, you can sign up here.