Postorino and d’Adamo are favorites at the Strega Prize

2023-07-04 19:11:51

Time.news – Of the two names that in all probability will compete for the literary prize par excellence, lo Witch, one belongs to a writer who is no longer there. It is played in fact – according to the never confirmed forecasts – between Rosella Postorino and Ada D’Adamo the match of the finala game that the author of “Come d’aria” paradoxically began to play after her own disappearance, which took place on April 1 of this year: already present in the dozen, the writer D’Adamo continued to collect votes, until entering, now posthumously, in the fifth.

Making up the list of finalist titles we find “I limit myself to loving you” by Rosella Postorino (Feltrinelli); “Come d’aria” by Ada D’Adamo (Elliot); “Where you didn’t take me”, by Maria Grazia Calandrone (Einaudi); “The night crossing” by Andrea Canobbio (The ship of Theseus) and “Stealing the night” by Romana Petri (Mondadori). Among these, Postorino and D’Adamo are the only two names that we also find in the latest sales charts. The winner will be decided on Thursday evening.

Favorites and Strategies

In the five finalists, the favorite book is certainly that of Rosella Postorino, “I limit myself to loving you”, but the gap from the book by Ada D’Adamo in the selection phase from the dozen to the five was so narrow that it led many to believe that there may be a last-minute surprise on the night of July 5 at the Ninfeo di Valle Giulia, in Rome.

In reality, if we know the editorial plots that traditionally lie within and behind literary awards, the thing is not that simple because Feltrinelli has invested heavily in Postorino’s book and therefore will not be willing to have the prize “snatched” from under her nose. For this reason, it seems you are hoarding among the publishers who did not enter the five, as is customary, to maximize their votes and create a hard core resistant enough not to be threatened by the popular favor D’s book is enjoying. Adam.

On the other hand, however, it must be said that for years a small publishing house has been expected to win the witch and Elliot, D’Adamo’s publisher, is indeed a small publishing house but qualified enough to grab this honor. Summarizing, one could say that “Come d’aria” by Ada D’Adamo enjoys the support of some of the most influential Witch Sunday friends including, for example, the writer Francesco Piccolo, and that Postorino is instead perceived as the candidacy of strong publishing houses.

Proof of this is the fact that another author who had been given as a favourite, Romana Petri, published by Mondadori, actually finished last in the five finalists. In fact, it must be remembered that no one enters the Strega as a cardinal and leaves as Pope and that, indeed, many who appear to enter as popes, then leave as cardinals.

Memorable is the case of 1989, when the writer and editor of Adelphi Roberto Calasso entered as favorite with “Le nozze di Cadmo e Armonia”to then see win Giuseppe Pontiggia with “La grande sera” (Mondadori). On that occasion, it was the votes of Newton Compton who had always guaranteed himself a place in the top five and who this year is out of it and who therefore with his approximately 20 votes can tip the balance in favor of D’Adamo or in favor of Postorino.