by Leah Janeczko
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but if the cover boasts one of these six awards, it means that judges somewhere in the world have deemed the book shelfworthy. Though there are many other national and international literary and translation prizes celebrating Italian works, this is a good place to start if you’re searching for your new favorite reads from Italy. When browsing books, keep your eyes on the prize!
Italian Prose in Translation Award
The IPTA is an annual award given by the American Literary Translators Association for a translation of Italian fiction or literary non-fiction published in the previous calendar year. Submissions are judged based on the original book’s literary significance and the translation’s success in recreating its literary artistry. Every September, its three judges reveal the five-book shortlist (a great resource for those out to discover exciting new Italian titles year after year) and the winner is announced during the ALTA conference in October.
Lies and Sorcery
- by Elsa Morante
- Translated from the Italian by Jenny McPhee
- 2024 IPTA winner
- Original title: Menzogna e sortilegio (1948)
- 800 pages
- New York Review Books Classics (2023)
- ISBN: 9781681376844
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here.
The Betrothed
- by Alessandro Manzoni
- Translated from the Italian by Michael F. Moore
- 2023 IPTA winner
- Original title: I promessi sposi (1840)
- 704 pages
- Modern Library (2022)
- ISBN 9780679643562
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
List of past IPTA winners
Sponsored by the Italian Cultural Institute in London and the Society of Authors, the biennial John Florio Prize is given to the best English translations of full-length Italian works of literary merit and general interest. The winner is announced in February (on odd numbered years).
My Karst and My City
- by Scipio Slataper
- Translated from the Italian by Nicholas Benson and Elena Coda
- 2022 John Florio Prize winner
- 280 pages
- University of Toronto Press (2020)
- ISBN 9781487508227
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
Trick
- by Domenico Starnone
- Translated from the Italian by Jhumpa Lahiri
- 2020 John Florio Prize winner
- Original title: Scherzetto (2016)
- 192 pages
- Publisher: Europa Editions (2018)
- ISBN: 9781609454449
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
List of past John Florio Prize winners
This prize sees literature as a bridge that can unite Italian and American cultures by strengthening their mutual understanding. Each edition’s four winning books – a fiction and a non-fiction title from America, and a fiction and a non-fiction title from Italy – are granted funding for their translation into the other language. The awards ceremonies are held in Rome and New York.
The Indiscreet: The Histories of Three Women Who Transformed the Image of the World
- by Elisabetta Rasy
- Original title: Le indiscrete. Storie di cinque donne che hanno cambiato l’immagine del mondo (2021)
- 2021 Bridge Book Award winner
- Translated from the Italian by Sian Gibby
- 176 pages
- Publisher: Bordighera (2024)
- ISBN 9781599542126
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
Teaching Freedom: Stories of Anti-Fascist Teachers in Italy
- by Massimo Castoldi
- Original title: Insegnare libertà. Storie di maestri antifascisti (2015)
- 2019 Bridge Book Award winner
- Translated from the Italian by Gail McDowell
- 190 pages
- Publisher: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press (2024)
- ISBN 9781683934202
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
List of past Bridge Book Award winners
Premio Strega
The Strega Prize is Italy’s most important literary award. A jury of over 400 members nominates twelve works of fiction to the longlist, which is then narrowed down to a “cinquina” of five titles. The winner is announced in July. Connected prizes are the Premio Strega Giovani for young adults; the Premio Strega Ragazze e Ragazzi for works of children’s fiction; and the Premio Strega Poesia for poetry, which also has a young adult category. (“Strega” means “witch”, and the prize is named after Liquore Strega, an Italian herbal liqueur produced by one of the award’s founders.)
Spatriati: A Novel
- by Mario Desiati
- Original title: Spatriati (2021)
- 2022 Strega Prize winner
- Translated from the Italian by Michael F. Moore
- 384 pages
- Publisher: Other Press (2024)
- ISBN: 9781635424034
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
The Hummingbird: A Novel
- by Sandro Veronesi
- Original title: Il colibrì (2019)
- 2020 Strega Prize winner
- Translated from the Italian by Elena Pala
- 304 pages
- Publisher: HarperVia (2022)
- ISBN: 9780063158559
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
Mist
- by Marta Palazzesi
- Original title: Nebbia (2019)
- 2020 Premio Strega Ragazze e Ragazzi winner
- Translated from the Italian by Christopher Turner
- Ages 9-12
- 160 pages
- Publisher: Red Comet Press (2023)
- ISBN: 9781636550695
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
List of past Strega Prize winners
Premio Campiello
One of Italy’s most prestigious literary awards, the Campiello is given each September to a work of fiction. A group of literary experts selects the finalists, and a jury of 300 readers from all over Italy selects the winner. Connected awards are the Premio Campiello Opera Prima for best debut novel; the Campiello Giovani for works by authors ages 15 to 22; the Campiello Junior for children’s books; and the Premio Speciale lifetime achievement award. (“Campiello” is a Venetian word meaning “little town square”, and the award was named after the comedy by Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni.)
My Stupid Intentions
- by Bernardo Zannoni
- Original title: I miei stupidi intenti (2021)
- 2022 Campiello Prize winner
- Translated from the Italian by Alex Andriesse
- 224 pages
- Publisher: New York Review Books (2023)
- ISBN: 9781681377285
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
At the Wolf’s Table: A Novel
- by Rosella Postorino
- Original title: Le assaggiatrici (2018)
- 2018 Campiello Prize winner
- Translated from the Italian by Leah Janeczko
- UK title: The Women at Hitler’s Table
- 288 pages
- Publisher: Flatiron Books (2019)
- ISBN 9781250179166
- Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here!
List of past Campiello Prize winners
Premio Andersen
The Premio Andersen is the most prestigious Italian award granted to the year’s finest children’s books, authors, illustrators and publishers. There are Andersen prizes for many different age groups and categories (in 2024 there were 19 awards in all), and the Super Premio Andersen is given to one of the many winning titles, making it Book of the Year. These awards are bestowed by Andersen, Italy’s leading magazine dedicated to children’s literature and illustration. (The prize, like the magazine, was named after children’s author Hans Christian Andersen.)
Leah Janeczko has been an Italian-to-English literary translator for readers of all ages for over 25 years. Originally from Chicago, she has lived in Milan for three decades. Her recent translations include Glowrushes by Roberto Piumini, recipient of the Rodari Lifetime Achievement Award; At the Wolf’s Table (The Women at Hitler’s Table) by Campiello Prize winner Rosella Postorino; and Veronica Raimo’s Lost on Me, for which she and Veronica were longlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize. Leah also writes English song lyrics for Italian rock bands. Follow her on social media @fromtheitalian and read more about her at leahjaneczko.com.
“There are so many undiscovered jewels of Italian literature, and I’m eager to help their voices be heard in English.” —Leah Janeczko
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 
One thought on “#ItalianLitMonth n.45: Six Italian Literary and Translation Awards You Should Know About”