Previously, Fulvio Abbate had been eliminated from the running for the Premio Strega because he had nominated himself, which went against the award’s regulations. However, he is now a participant as his novel ‘Lo Stemma’ (The Ship of Theseus) was officially presented at the 74th edition of the Premio Strega by Sandra Petrignani, a respected writer and one of the 400 “Friends of Sunday”, a term used to describe the jurors of this prestigious Roman literary award.
Abbate shared his acceptance of Petrignani’s offer to present his novel at the Premio Strega on his Facebook profile, stating, “I have accepted Sandra Petrignani’s willingness to present ‘Lo Stemma’ at the Premio Strega; the adventure begins again. Decided, let’s go”. After this announcement, the writer shared a contemplative thought on the same post, expressing his disdain for the current state of the literary landscape, which he felt was lacking in human warmth and filled with petty ambitions. He stated that he felt out of place in this environment.
When a friend asked Abbate on Facebook if his contemplative post meant that he was withdrawing from the Strega, Abbate responded by stating that he was still in the race, but his emotional involvement was nonexistent.
On February 5th, Abbate announced on social media that he was nominating his new novel ‘Lo Stemma’ for the Strega Prize as a symbolic gesture rather than a pursuit of recognition. However, the Management Committee of the Premio Strega initially rejected the nomination as they felt it violated their regulations which stated that the author and the nominator should be separate individuals and that the author could not be the one to provide the qualitative judgement required for the nomination. However, after the book was presented by Sandra Petrignani according to the procedures prescribed by the Regulations, it was accepted.
The publishing house La nave di Teseo describes ‘Lo Stemma’ as a stark critique of the mediocrity of today’s society, and a tale of unbridled vices and unfulfilled desires, all set against the backdrop of a Sicilian society that is reflective of our worst flaws and highest aspirations.
The novel is set in the early 2000s in Palermo and follows the story of a mediocre princess who is subjected to mysterious messages and lewd puzzles appearing on the city walls, challenging her sexual morality. The narrative includes a diverse set of characters, each with their own quirks and ambitions, and paints a vivid picture of the city and its inhabitants. The only character who tries to maintain a critical perspective is Carlo, the baron and cousin of the princess, who attempts to instil historical consciousness in her but eventually succumbs to suicide. The novel, written by Paolo Martini, is a strong indictment of mediocrity as the prevalent talent in our society.
