I just finished reading the French best-seller The Elegance of the Hedgehog, which I found disappointing. But that's not why I'm writing this post. I was attracted to the book because it was showcased at my local library and I immediately espied the Italian-like cover and graphics. I would normally not read French and Italian novels in translation, but since this was right there and free, I did.While the book did not meet my exacting standards, the translation was good and I was motivated to look at the publisher's other offerings. They specialize in bringing the English-speaking public recent European fiction. Their impressive catalog includes Italians Romano Bilenchi, Valeria Parrella (photo), Lia Levi, Elena Ferrante, Carmine Abate, Carlo Lucarelli, and Valerio Massimo Manfredi. If you are not ready to read full-length works in the original Italian, these writers would be a good intro to contemporary Italian lit.
