Wednesday 10 June, 6.30pm
Paradiso by Michele Masneri
The author in conversation with Antonello Guerrera
Michele Masneri talks about his latest book Paradiso, recently out in the English translation by Richard Village with Foundry Editions.
A darkly comic journey through ambition, illusion, and the eternal city
During one of the hottest summers anyone can remember, journalist Federico Desideri is sent on an assignment: to interview Italy’s latest Oscar-winning film director. But in Rome. A world away from the reassuring familiarity of his native Milan.
When the director turns out to be elusive, and the Romans as rough as their reputation, Federico falls in with Barry Volpicelli, a seductive, fast-talking, America-obsessed rogue and supposed inspiration for the winning movie’s lead character. Instead of nailing the interview, he finds himself in Paradiso— a crumbling seaside estate with an eccentric cast of inhabitants who seem frozen in time.
Combining the style and charm of Paolo Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty with the wit of Alan Bennett, this social comedy for the social media generation is a blisteringly funny exploration of reality, illusion and the enduring myth of the Eternal City.
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Michele Masneri is an Italian writer and journalist. He has worked for international news organisations in Hamburg and Paris. He currently collaborates with Il Foglio, IlSole24Ore and Rivista Studio. Addio, Monti (Minimum Fax), his debut in fiction, was published in 2014 and Steve Jobs non abita più qui (Adelphi) was published in 2020.
Antonello Guerrera is the UK and Ireland correspondent for La Repubblica as well as Parliamentary reporter from Westminster. He has written for “Il Riformista”, “La Gazzetta dello Sport”, “Il Post” e “Internazionale”.