And no, none of them is Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend.
Don’t get me wrong: Ferrante single-handedly put modern Italian literature back on the global map. I might not have liked the story, but I can admit it. However, Italy’s contemporary literary scene is vast, fierce, and incredibly diverse. If you only stick to one author, you are missing out on incredible historical dramas, psychological thrillers, and raw emotional journeys.
If you want to expand your reading horizons and discover what Italians are actually reading right now, here are the contemporary masterpieces you need to add to your bookshelf.
The unforgettable historical drama
- The book: The children’s train by Viola Ardone.
- Why read it: Based on true post-WWII events, this deeply moving novel follows a young boy from the poverty-stricken streets of Naples who is sent to the north of Italy as part of a solidarity initiative. It is a heartbreaking yet beautiful coming-of-age story about family, identity, and the heavy price of a better future.
The atmospheric alpine noir
- The book: Flowers over the inferno (and the rest of the detective Teresa Battaglia thriller series) by Ilaria Tuti.
- Why read it: Move over, Nordic Noir. Set in an isolated valley in the Italian Alps, this gripping thriller introduces an unconventional protagonist: a fiercely intelligent police superintendent battling both a brutal serial killer and the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. It is haunting, atmospheric, and impossible to put down.
The epic historical monument
- The book: M: son of the century by Antonio Scurati.
- Why read it: This internationally acclaimed masterpiece reads like a political thriller but is entirely grounded in historical facts. It charts the rapid, terrifying rise of Benito Mussolini and fascism in Italy. It is a monumental, gripping study of power that feels incredibly relevant today.
The bittersweet youth romance
- The book: Steal you away by Niccolò Ammaniti.
- Why read it: Ammaniti is a master at capturing the raw energy of youth. This novel weaves together the stories of a young boy experiencing his first love in a bleak provincial town and a middle-aged man chasing a desperate dream. It is funny, gritty, and fiercely energetic.
The quiet tale of resistance
- The book: I’m staying here by Marco Balzano.
- Why read it: Set in a border village in South Tyrol during the rise of Fascism and WWII, this powerful novel tells the story of a community caught between Italian oppression and German occupation. It is a stunning, poetic look at a mother’s fierce resistance to protect her home before her entire village is flooded for a dam.
Which of these modern Italian masterpieces are you adding to your reading list first?
The wishlist keeps growing.
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