The writer Zora del Buono will receive a prize worth 30,000 francs on Sunday for her father’s book “Because of Him”.
The writer Zora del Buono will receive the Swiss Book Prize 2024 for her research on her father, who died early.
Zora del Buono is actually an architect. She came to literature late, long after completing her architectural studies. But the combination of architecture and literature is almost a tradition in Switzerland; in any case, Zora del Buono has a famous predecessor in Max Frisch for this career change.
class=”articlecomponent text nzzinteraction”>The author, who was born in Zurich in 1962, published her first novel at the age of 46. Since then, book has regularly followed book, with each increasing his fame and success. Four years ago the novel “The Marschallin” was published, and she met the Italian part of her family. In the new book, “Seinetwegen”, for which she received the Swiss Book Prize 2024 worth 30,000 francs on Sunday, she tells a chapter from her own life story that was subject to taboo within the family.
Accidental death of the father
At the age of eight months, Zora del Buono lost her father in a traffic accident. The X-ray doctor at the Zurich University Hospital was sitting in the passenger seat of a VW beetle when an oncoming Chevrolet hit the car on the route between Uznach and Näfels. Zora del Buono’s uncle was behind the wheel that August morning. He had a broken bone, her father was badly injured and was in a coma for several days before the life support machines were switched off. He was 33 years old when he died.
Perhaps it was this additional loss that gave her the freedom to look for clues and reconstruct the story of her father’s death. Perhaps, paradoxically, it was precisely the difficulties of recreating the events of that time that gave her the greatest urgency.
The story of the death of a father
Zora del Buono’s book “Because of Him” joins the numerous autofictional texts that have been a significant part of literary production for many years. However, her book differs from other examples of the genre, which was awarded the Nobel Prize to Annie Ernaux even two years ago. In literary history, Zora del Buono takes a step back, so to speak, from the genre that has become fashionable.
The book is deliberately not called a novel. Zora del Buono keeps her distance from literary invention; she tries to reconstruct her research and make it comprehensible. She talks about her father and her family, records memories and crosses the documents with the text she finds in archives on her way back to that fatal August day in 1963. Pictures from the family album support the memory and the narrative, the statistics put the text in the empirical text, but the space remains blank, even if surprising results about the person who caused the accident emerge recently.
One may regret that the jury pays so little attention to literary invention. With Marian Bühler’s debut “Shift in the Rocks”, there was an equivalent novel on the shortlist, and Dana Grigorcea also published a notable novel in the spring. However, Zora del Buono’s book “Because of Him” is worthy of an award, which goes against the grain of its own motivation and the extensive commemorative literature.
How did Zora del Buono’s background in architecture influence her writing style?
Interview between Time.news Editor and Zora del Buono
Time.news Editor: Welcome, Zora del Buono! Congratulations on winning the Swiss Book Prize 2024 for your book Seinetwegen. That’s quite an achievement.
Zora del Buono: Thank you! It feels surreal and incredibly validating for my work.
Editor: Your book takes a deep dive into your father’s tragic death when you were just eight months old. How did that experience shape you, both personally and as a writer?
Zora: Losing my father at such a young age created an invisible void that influenced much of my life. The absence of his presence made me curious about our family history and my roots. As a writer, it fueled my desire to document that story, to unearth the truths surrounding his life and untimely death. It was a way to reclaim a piece of him that I never truly knew.
Editor: You mentioned in your book that the events of his passing were steeped in family taboo. Did you feel any resistance from your family when you started to unpack these stories?
Zora: Absolutely. For many years, my father’s death was a topic avoided in family conversations. It had become a silent wound. When I began my research for Seinetwegen, I encountered mixed reactions. Some were supportive while others were apprehensive about bringing up painful memories. However, I felt that it was essential to have these conversations and to give my father a voice again.
Editor: You began your career as an architect and transitioned into writing later in life. How do you see architecture and literature intersecting in your work?
Zora: Both disciplines involve a deep understanding of structure—be it a building or a narrative. In architecture, one considers space, light, and environment to create a coherent whole. Similarly, in literature, one must build a narrative that feels authentic and profound. It seems like a natural progression for me, with my experiences enriching my storytelling. Max Frisch, who also walked this path, is one of my biggest inspirations.
Editor: In Seinetwegen, you blend personal history with broader themes of loss and memory. Can you tell us a bit more about the emotional landscape you navigate in the book?
Zora: The book is a tapestry of emotions—grief, longing, and ultimately, healing. I wanted to explore how the impact of my father’s loss reverberated throughout my family. In piecing together his story and my own feelings of inadequacy and curiosity, I found a way to transform that pain into something meaningful. It’s about embracing those emotions rather than shying away from them.
Editor: Your first novel came out when you were 46. What has this journey taught you about age and creativity?
Zora: Age has taught me that it brings with it a wealth of experiences and perspectives that can enrich one’s writing. Creativity doesn’t have a timeline. My late start allowed me to draw from a well of life experiences, and I feel grateful for that. It’s never too late to tell your story or pursue your passion.
Editor: As you prepare to accept the Swiss Book Prize, what message do you hope your readers take away from Seinetwegen?
Zora: I hope readers understand the importance of stories—especially those that are difficult to tell. They remind us of our shared humanity and the complexities of love and loss. And perhaps, they will find the courage to confront their own untold narratives.
Editor: Thank you for sharing such profound insights with us, Zora. We look forward to seeing how your journey continues to unfold.
Zora: Thank you for having me! It’s been a pleasure.