After a presentation by the surprisingly large reading group and its members, accompanied by cake and good tea, the book for the month of November was chosen and will be commented on Dec. 5 at 9 p.m. at the Gilberto Rovai Public Library in Incisa:
"Everything Calls for Salvation" by Daniele Mencarelli.
THE PLOT.
Daniel is a 20-year-old boy, yet gifted with extreme sensitivity; his experiences are a succession of peaks and troughs.
A large hospital room, with six beds, is where he finds himself when he wakes up. He has no idea how he got there, until he is told that a TSO has been ordered for him : compulsory medical treatment, after he is caught in a very violent fit of rage. He will have to spend seven days in observation, talking to psychiatrists, trying to explain why the world hurts him so much.
By his side, his roommates in the psychiatric ward: characters both disturbing and tender, rambunctious yet wise, overwhelmed by life just like him. Like him unable not to suffer, and unable not to love disproportionately. Brought together by hospitalization and suffocating heat, questioned by indifferent doctors, manhandled by frightened nurses, a sense of brotherhood and a need for mutual support never felt before arises day after day between Daniel and the others.
"They are the five crazy people with whom I shared the room and this week of my life. With them I had no chance to lie, to play the part of the perfect, they welcomed me for who I am, for my nature so similar to theirs."
In this extraordinary autobiographical novel, winner of the 2020 Strega Giovani Prize, Daniele Mencarelli stages a boy's desperate, angry search for meaning as he begs for salvation: "Salvation. For me. For my mother on the other end of the phone. For all sons and mothers. And the fathers. And all brothers of all times past and future. My sickness is called salvation."
A series of the same name was adapted from this novel for Netflix.
THE AUTHOR.
Daniele Mencarelli, poet and storyteller, was born in Rome in 1974.
His novels have received numerous national awards:
The house of looks (2018) - Volponi Award, Severino Cesari Opera Prima Award, John Fante opera prima award; Everything asks for salvation (2020) - Finalist for Premio Strega, Winner of Premio Strega giovani, Winner of Segafredo Zanetti-a book a film, Winner of Premio Anima per il sociale; Always come back (2021) - Flaiano Prize for fiction. His latest poetry collection is. Circular time (poems, 2019-1997), Pequod.
The reading group will run until 2023.
For information and reservations, contact the biliotechs directly:
Marsilio Ficino Municipal Library (Figline):
Tel: 0559125290/0559125291
E-mail: biblioteca.ficino@comunefiv.it/g.fanfani@comunefiv.it
Gilberto Rovai Municipal Library (Incisa):
Tel: 0559125445/0559125446
E-mail: biblioteca.rovai@comunefiv.it/g.fanfni@comunefiv.it