The Testo book fair, organized by Pitti Immagine and now in its third edition (Stazione Leopolda, 23-25 February), is increasingly international: it will bring 149 publishing houses to Florence, of which 55 are here for the first time, and great authors of contemporary fiction such as Bernard Atxaga, Bjorn Larsson, the Spanish Sara Mesa and Malachy Tallack, just to name a few.
Presented in Milan, the show has a richer program than ever.
Bernardo Atxaga, pseudonym of Joseba Irazu, considered the most important Basque writer, is expected to present his latest book "The accordionist's son" (21 letters), in which, through the story of a family, he draws the most relevant moments of history Basque.
Malachy Tallack will preview his journey to the north of the world, from Greenland to the Åland Islands, passing through Canada and Siberia, in pursuit of a question: how do the people of the great North live.
All this is collected in the volume "The great North - journey around the world along the 60th parallel" (Hyperborea), which he will present at the show.
And then there will be Christian Guay-Poliquin, who will present "Threads of Shadow" (Marsilio), a story set in a Canadian forest, in which a man and a child experiment with new ways to survive, and Björn Larsson with his "Essere or not be human" (Hyperborea).
There will be the Spanish author Sara Mesa with "The Family" (The New Frontier), released on February 16, and the Canadian Christian Guay-Poliquin, with "Filo d'ombra" (Marsilio), which is the continuation of the stories of the protagonist of his previous novel.
And Marie Nimier, one of the most beloved writers from beyond the Alps, presents her latest novel "The Queen of Silence" (Edizioni Clichy).
Also expected are Alain Mabanckou, Dizz Tate, Sylvain Tesson, Azaaren Van der Vliet Oloomi, Tamar Weiss Gabbay.
Massimo Cacciari is expected from Italy with his Concrete Metaphysics (Adelphi), but also Niccolò Ammaniti and Emanuele Trevi who will talk about the birth of their two first works, thirty years after their publication.
Names from the entertainment industry will also arrive, such as the host Alessandro Cattelan who as publisher will present Accent, the publishing house he founded to promote new talents and books from the past, and Roberto Vecchioni with his novel 'Tra il silence e il thunder' (Einaudi ).
The salon will pay homage to intellectuals and designers of the past with dedicated events.
Among these are confirmed, among others, those dedicated to Samuel Beckett, Rachel Carson, Franz Kafka, Adriano Olivetti, Elsa Schiaparelli, Stendhal.
Furthermore, the 50th anniversary of Stephen King's debut with Carrie will be celebrated.
New to this edition is the presence of a large group of illustrators and cartoonists: Gipi, Francesco Chiacchio, Alessandro Sanna, Sualzo.
There will be six debutants, some making their first presentation ever:
Emanuela Anechoum, Sara Marzullo, Greta Olivo, Fiammetta Palpati, Vincenzo A. Scalfari, Alice Scornajenghi.
Among the curiosities, the focus on translation from French with the translator Yasmina Melaouah (from Camus to Pennac), that on editorial professions - from editor to social media manager -, and literary walks, such as the one in four stages that explores relationships between thought, writing and movement (they leave and arrive at Leopolda).
Born from an idea of the Todo Modo bookshop (this year the fair is also supported by UniCredit, already a partner of the other Pitti fairs), Testo confirms the format of the seven stations around which the events revolve (The manuscript, The face, The translation, The sign, The story, The bookshop, The reader).
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