Sicilian publishers come out in full force for National Book Festival

The National Book Council will be hosting some of Sicily’s most prominent publishing houses at this year’s edition of Malta’s National Book Festival, from November 12 until November 16 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.

Angelo Migliore’s ‘Come Nasce una Mafia’ published by Morrone Editore
Angelo Migliore’s ‘Come Nasce una Mafia’ published by Morrone Editore

This year’s edition promises a jam-packed programme of events happening throughout the five days in different areas of the MCC and culminating in the weekend. For the first time in many years, thanks to the help of the Italian Cultural Institute and Sicillian publisher Carlo Morrone, this year’s Book Festival will be marked with a contingent of 11 Sicilian publishers. The publishers are Aulino Editore, Bonfirraro Editore, Emmanuele Romeo Editore and Verbavolant Edizioni. Books by all of these publishers will be available for sale at the Book Festival from the Siclian Publishers’ Stand.

Some of these publishers will also be holding events in the Common Area of the Festival, in order to present and promote their books and respective authors. Amongst the publishers holding events will be Morrone Editore, Aulino Editore, Bonfirrarro Editore and Edizioni Epsil.

It is important to note that this is not the first Sicilian connection for the local book scene. Arnold Cassola, a professor of Maltese and comparative literature at the University of Malta, has recently co-authored a book with Silvio Aliffi which was published by the same Morrone Editore. The book, ‘Malta-Pachino – il Ritorno alle Origini’ speaks about the Pachino and Maltese connection, and will be presented to the general public on Friday at 18:00 in the Common Area. Following this event one may attend the book presentation of professor Luigi Amato on the philosopher Giuseppe Rovella.

On Saturday evening, events by Sicillian publishers in the Common Area are set to start at 19:00 with a presentation of Geatano Amoruso’s book, ‘Anche il Sole Tramonta’ followed by another book presentation of Matteo Bonadies’, ‘Filippo di Agira’ – both books published by Bonfirraro Editore. At 20:00, Morrone Editore will then present the book by Lorenzo Genovoese, ‘Il Latru ri Ficupali (Il Ladro di Fichidindia)’ and following that, another book presentation of Vincenzo Perez’s ‘10 Mila Volte’ published by Edizioni Epsil and ‘Viaggio in Sicilia’ of Paul de Musset published by Edizioni Lussografica.

On Sunday, events by the Italian publishers in the Common Area start early. At 10:00 a book presentation of Antonino Audino’s ‘Gli Occhi nelle Onde del Mare” published by Edizioni Epsil is to take place just before another presentation at 10:30 of Angelo Migliore’s ‘Come Nasce una Mafia’ published by Morrone Editore. At 11:30am, Giancarlo Bellina’s ‘L’Albero del Milicuccu’ published by Morrone Editore and at noon Simone de Vivo’s book ‘Amore de Matrioska – La Luna di Giorno’ published by Edizioni Epsil will be presented followed then by ‘Il Testamento di Vanto’ by Michele Barbera, published  by Aulino Editore at 17:00.

Closing the series of Siclian book presentations will be Morrone Editore with Pippo Bufardeci’s ‘Airport Pachino’ and Leonardo Salvaggio’s ‘Sicilia Quell'Estate del ‘43’.