Sandro Veronesi in conversation with Remco van Rijn

Sandro Veronesi (Italy) became a beloved literary figure and bestselling author worldwide with novels such as The Force of the Past, Quiet Chaos, and The Hummingbird. Over the years, he has won several major awards. He is one of only two writers to have won the Premio Strega, Italy’s most prestigious literary prize, twice.

Zwarte september tells the story of twelve-year-old Gigio Bellandi during the summer of 1972, on the northwestern coast of Tuscany. He discovers music, books, and love, but his innocence is brutally shattered by a tragic event. Around Gigio, victims and perpetrators blend into unforgettable Veronesi characters: his father, the water rat; his mother, the lioness; his brave little sister; and the two most crucial figures in his sudden coming-of-age: his mysterious uncle Giotti, and Astel Raimondi, the girl with braids “black as black onyx,” who leaves the indelible mark of love on him.

Half a century later, Gigio reflects on his life. In Black September, Sandro Veronesi captures, like only he can, the power and loss of love, and the human capacity to overcome grief and move forward. But Zwarte september is also a novel about the evocative power of words (mouflon mouflon mouflon mouflon mouflon) and the seductive, life-saving force of language. Zwarte september is Sandro Veronesi at the height of his powers.