Do you want to organize a training programme with your students? For information and reservations, write to universita@fondazionepirelli.org
Visit the Foundation
Fill in the required fields
Visit the Foundation
We have received your request. You will be contacted as soon as possible.
The Foundation recommends
Books selected for you
Adults
Young people
18 April 2025The EternautIt all begins with a snowfall in Buenos Aires. But this is no ordinary snow, for it is phosphorescent, and kills on contact. An alien invasion is under ...+
18 April 2025
The Eternaut
It all begins with a snowfall in Buenos Aires. But this is no ordinary snow, for it is phosphorescent, and kills on contact. An alien invasion is under way, and it will go on to wipe out much of the world’s population. The survivors are herded into the River Plate Stadium by the military, who attempt to mount a defence. A siege begins, with relentless attacks by insect-like creatures and hallucinations caused by mysterious substances. The Eternaut of the title is the protagonist, Khruner—his name meaning “wanderer of infinity”—a time traveller who tells the story to a comic book writer in an extended flashback. He ultimately escapes by boarding an alien spacecraft, only to become lost in time and in parallel universes. As his story comes to an end, a single question lingers: did it unfold in another dimension, or is it a glimpse of what is about to happen? Written by Héctor Oesterheld and illustrated by Francisco López, The Eternaut has become a landmark in comic book history, also for its troubled publishing history. First serialised between 1957 and 1959, the chilling scenes—civilians rounded up in stadiums, and Krol aliens symbolising military oppression—proved disturbingly prophetic. Just two decades later, similar horrors played out in Argentina under the military junta, and before that, in Uruguay and in Chile under Pinochet. Oesterheld himself, along with his daughters, vanished during this dark period, among the roughly 30,000 desaparecidos in Argentina, all trace of whom is lost. Nearly seventy years on, the story has lost none of its narrative power, and remains a symbol of defiance in the face of every dictatorship. It remains a classic, etched in the collective memory, and has recently been adapted by Netflix for an upcoming TV series.
The Eternaut
Hector German Oesterheld, Francisco Solano Lopez;
Fantagraphics Books, 2015
The Eternaut
03 April 2025A Matter of MoneyLolita Lobosco has gained renown through her TV series Le indagini di Lolita Lobosco, aired on RAI 1, with Luisa Ranieri in the lead role. In this new ...+
03 April 2025
A Matter of Money
Lolita Lobosco has gained renown through her TV series Le indagini di Lolita Lobosco, aired on RAI 1, with Luisa Ranieri in the lead role. In this new novel, the commissioner finds herself entangled in a perplexing case that has some deeply disturbing personal implications for her. The victim, Margherita Colonna, is a strikingly attractive bank manager. But what leaves Commissioner Lobosco most shaken is an eerie detail—Margherita looks remarkably like her, almost as if they were doppel-gängers. At first glance, it appears she jumped from her balcony, but the suicide theory is swiftly dismissed. As Lobosco delves into the victim’s past, a web of ill-fated relationships, murky connections, insatiable greed, and an obsession with luxury shopping begins to unfold. The investigation leads the commissioner to discover that lots of people may have had a motive. It may be a crime of passion or, indeed, “a matter of money”. Once again, the novel is set in the mesmerising city of Bari, with its rich culinary heritage and, of course, its famous spaghetti all’assassina.
Una questione di soldi
Gabriella Genisi
Sonzogno Editori, 2025
A Matter of Money
27 March 2025The Problem of Human TimeThe factory libraries introduced by Adriano Olivetti from the 1940s onwards, along with the Cultural Centre in Ivrea, were truly revolutionary, bringing culture into the workplace. This paradigm ...+
27 March 2025
The Problem of Human Time
The factory libraries introduced by Adriano Olivetti from the 1940s onwards, along with the Cultural Centre in Ivrea, were truly revolutionary, bringing culture into the workplace. This paradigm shift reimagined the spaces of production, recognising workers’ time and transforming these settings into real community centres, fostering cultural exchange and interaction. Olivetti’s vision challenged the notion of culture as a privilege for the elite, interpreting it as a form of common knowledge to be shared. Although company libraries were not unheard of—a notable precedent being the Pirelli library set up back in 1928 for members of the company’s recreational club—Olivetti’s innovation lay in placing books and culture at the heart of a broader reflection on time and human development. Chiara Faggiolani’s book retraces the story of the Olivetti libraries, underscoring the idea that books have the power to change lives. Such was Olivetti’s conviction that he included culture and education as part of the factory’s social services, viewing it as an essential part of workers’ overall remuneration. The author questions the power that this idea may, or may not, have on the present as well as on a future in which we may still plan and design libraries as spaces for our curiosity, imagination, dialogue, and reading. The Pirelli libraries, now present at the Bicocca headquarters and in the factories in Settimo Torinese and Bollate, are present-day examples of company libraries in Italy. These are currently enjoying a renaissance, and are part of an on-going discussion about the work-life balance—a theme on which Olivetti was a pioneering spirit. Il problema del tempo umano. Le biblioteche di Adriano Olivetti: storia di un’idea rivoluzionaria
Chiara Faggiolani
Edizioni di Comunità, 2025
The Problem of Human Time
17 March 2025What I Know About YouWhen Nadia Terranova finds herself in front of her new-born daughter, a profound realisation strikes her: she can no longer afford to go out of her mind. It ...+
17 March 2025
What I Know About You
When Nadia Terranova finds herself in front of her new-born daughter, a profound realisation strikes her: she can no longer afford to go out of her mind. It is not a thought unrelated to her experience, but something that happened to her great-grandmother Venera, who was hospitalised for a time at the Lorenzo Mandalari psychiatric hospital in Messina, following a bout of depression caused by the loss of her third daughter during pregnancy. These thoughts lead her to delve into her family’s past, into a mythology made up of stories that are handed down and that recount a narrative that ultimately becomes commonly accepted but that is actually full of unreliable details. Quello che so di te is a poignant and intimate novel, a work of autofiction in which the author confronts memory and the delicate boundary between reality and imagination. Digging into the Mandalari archives, she pieces together the fragments of Venera’s life, creating a continuous dialogue between past and present, where historical records, recollections, and inherited narratives all intertwine.
25 April 2025Gabriella on Her Bicycle: My Resistance Written for KidsIt is 26 September 1944, at the height of the Nazi occupation. In Bassano del Grappa, where Tina Anselmi lives, German forces hang 31 young partisans in the ...+
25 April 2025
Gabriella on Her Bicycle: My Resistance Written for Kids
It is 26 September 1944, at the height of the Nazi occupation. In Bassano del Grappa, where Tina Anselmi lives, German forces hang 31 young partisans in the town square. The massacre shocks the seventeen-year-old student, who comes from a Catholic, anti-Fascist family, and she decides to join the Resistance. Her battle name is Gabriella.
La Gabriella in bicicletta. La mia Resistenza raccontata ai ragazzi is the story of Gabriella the partisan courier, who for many months rides more than a hundred kilometres a day on her bicycle to keep the partisan units in contact. She carries underground newspapers, weapons, and messages, risking her life each day, yet greatly assisted by others who, like her, with the courage that comes from the certainty of being on the side of justice, are experiencing the Resistance first-hand. “There was a touch of recklessness, but above all, there was a deep conviction in what we were doing”, writes the author.
This is a book that uses simple, direct language to explain the reasons behind the courageous decisions made by young people at that time, offering today’s youth a window into the ideals that defined the Resistance. These were the values that guided Tina Anselmi throughout her life, in service to her country and its institutions and history. “We must never forget what happened, or what it cost us, because history repeats itself, and there will be no one and nothing to save us if we betray that history by forgetting.” The book also includes fact sheets on the key moments in Fascism and the Resistance, brief portraits of figures such as Matteotti and Pertini, and moving letters written by partisans condemned to death.
Reading age: from 10 years
La Gabriella in bicicletta. La mia Resistenza raccontata ai ragazzi
Tina Anselmi, with an introduction by Laura Boldrini
Manni, 2019
Gabriella on Her Bicycle: My Resistance Written for Kids
28 March 2025The Fabulous Journey of PlantsWho says plants can’t move? After the success of Il favoloso viaggio delle piante (The Fabulous World of Plants), which won the 2024 Ibby Italian Choice award, the ...+
28 March 2025
The Fabulous Journey of Plants
Who says plants can’t move? After the success of Il favoloso viaggio delle piante (The Fabulous World of Plants), which won the 2024 Ibby Italian Choice award, the world-renowned plant scientist Stefano Mancuso and the internationally acclaimed Italian illustrator Philip Giordano have joined forces again to tell the astonishing story of the most enigmatic living beings on Earth—starting with their remarkable ability to travel, generation after generation, to far-flung destinations.
With their exceptional talent for storytelling, the authors tell an exciting and adventurous scientific tale, in which seeds take centre stage in epic journeys across space and time, carried by animals around the world. Their adventures are truly amazing: they hitch rides on trains, sail across the seas, and are propelled by explosions, or even swallowed by mastodons! Against all odds, they endure the harshest conditions—sometimes lying underground while atomic bombs explode above.
Il favoloso viaggio delle piante is an enthralling read, brought to life by vivid illustrations. Beyond its entertainment value, the book sparks curiosity in young readers, encouraging them to explore the wonders of nature, science, and our connection to the planet. This is the view of a botanist who thirty years ago was interested in plants as “intelligent” beings, and who is now rated by The New Yorker as a “world changer”.
Reading age: from 7 years
Il favoloso viaggio delle piante
Stefano Mancuso, Philip Giordano
Aboca Kids, 2025
The Fabulous Journey of Plants
17 March 2025The Swifts: A Gallery of RoguesA new adventure unfolds for the Swifts, England’s quirkiest detective family, brought to life by Beth Lincoln’s love of mystery novels and playful gothic charm — a true ...+
17 March 2025
The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues
A new adventure unfolds for the Swifts, England’s quirkiest detective family, brought to life by Beth Lincoln’s love of mystery novels and playful gothic charm — a true celebration of words and individuality. The English author returns with a gripping tale full of suspense, witty dialogues and clever wordplay. Her eccentric cast of characters proudly flaunt their uniqueness, in both looks and spirit.
This time, the youngest Swift, Shenanigan, sets off to Paris to investigate a string of daring art thefts at the Hotel Martinet, where a band of enigmatic acrobat thieves has been targeting the works of the renowned artist Pierrot. But the plot thickens: the hotel’s handyman mysteriously vanishes, cryptic messages appear in the oddest places, and there are all sorts of other weird goings-on, with staircases leading nowhere and windows that don’t match the floors. And there’s even a murder! Shenanigan is determined to catch the culprit, but not everything is as it seems…
Both thrilling and fun, A Gallery of Rogues is a page-turner that young readers will devour in one sitting, but it also has a powerful message: stay true to yourself, no matter what others expect of you. Take it from the Swifts!
Reading age: from 11 years
The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues
Beth Lincoln
Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2024
The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues
03 March 2025Malala’s Story Told to ChildrenViviana Mazza, a writer and journalist, was one of the first in Italy to share Malala Yousafzai’s story with young readers. Published in 2015, La storia di Malala ...+
03 March 2025
Malala’s Story Told to Children
Viviana Mazza, a writer and journalist, was one of the first in Italy to share Malala Yousafzai’s story with young readers.
Published in 2015, La storia di Malala raccontata ai bambini uses a language suited to younger audiences as it tells the story of the young Pakistani activist who in 2012 was gravely injured in a Taliban attack for having written on her blog about the denial of women’s rights and education in her country. Her name has become synonymous with courage, and her work a source of inspiration for all the many women, girls and children who fight for their freedom and for their rights.
Both educational and deeply moving, the book played a key role in introducing even the youngest readers to Malala’s story. In 2014, Malala became the youngest-ever Nobel laureate, aged just seventeen, when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, together with activist Kailash Satyarthi, for their “struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.”
Reading age: from 8 years
La storia di Malala raccontata ai bambini
Viviana Mazza, illustrations by Paolo D’Altan
Mondadori, 2020
17 March 2025Il Libro Possibile 2025The 24th edition of the Polignano a Mare festival will take place from 11 to 13 March, and this year it goes international, making a stop in London. ...+
17 March 2025
Il Libro Possibile 2025
The 24th edition of the Polignano a Mare festival will take place from 11 to 13 March, and this year it goes international, making a stop in London. The event is organised in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in London and with the support of Regione Puglia.
The programme runs for three days, with events taking place at two venues: in the mornings at the London Book Fair and in the evenings at the Italian Cultural Institute. An impressive line-up of guests will include Simonetta Agnello Hornby, Philip Ball, Jonathan Coe, Carlo Cottarelli, Diego De Silva, Tommaso Ebhardt, Barbara Gallavotti, Olivia Laing, and Michele Masneri.
For the full programme, click here.
Il Libro Possibile 2025
11 March 2025BCBF 2025From 31 March to 3 April, BolognaFiere will host the 62nd edition of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the historic event for children’s and young adult publishing. It ...+
11 March 2025
BCBF 2025
From 31 March to 3 April, BolognaFiere will host the 62nd edition of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the historic event for children’s and young adult publishing. It is organised in collaboration with the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/Kids),
the 2025 fair will welcome over 1,500 exhibitors from around 90 countries and regions across the world. The Guest of Honour Country for 2025 is Estonia, and sustainability will be the theme of this year’s programme. To find out more, click here.
BCBF 2025
06 March 2025Book Pride 2025From Friday, 21 March to Sunday, 23 March, Book Pride returns to Superstudio Maxi Milano in Via Tortona for its ninth edition. For the first time, the independent ...+
06 March 2025
Book Pride 2025
From Friday, 21 March to Sunday, 23 March, Book Pride returns to Superstudio Maxi Milano in Via Tortona for its ninth edition. For the first time, the independent publishing fair is now part of the Turin International Book Fair’s projects.
The theme for 2025, “Dancing on the Edge of the World”, comes with a rich programme of events featuring Italian and international guests, a dedicated sports section, workshops for schools, and a special area for the world of comics.
To explore the full programme, please click here.
Book Pride 2025
02 December 2024The Number DevilHow can maths be turned from nightmare into dream? The magic is achieved in The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, one of Germany’s most celebrated contemporary literary ...+
02 December 2024
The Number Devil
How can maths be turned from nightmare into dream? The magic is achieved in The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, one of Germany’s most celebrated contemporary literary figures. Published in 1997 as his first work for children and adolescents, the book became an overnight international bestseller, and has been translated and republished in numerous editions ever since.
Twelve-year-old Robert hates mathematics and is even afraid of it. He is not helped in this by his boring teacher, who is incapable of making it seem either useful or appealing.
But one night, in the realm of dreams, Roberto meets the Number Devil: a fiery little red gentleman who takes him on a twelve-night journey through the mesmerising land of numbers. Step by step, the boy is drawn ever deeper into the magical world of powers, square roots, prime numbers, and theorems.
Robert is inducted into the ranks of the Number Apprentices, earning a star-adorned medallion, which he finds around his neck when he awakens in the real world. What then happens at school over the following days goes without saying.
With its amusing language and its playful use of sounds and meanings, as well as a narrative structure rooted in the thrilling whirl of initiation, mathematics becomes a fascinating fairy-tale world for the reader.
Already a classic for Generation X, The Number Devil has now reached Generation Alpha, who can experience maths as being within everyone’s reach and not as a privilege reserved for the few. And today, more than ever, this is sorely needed.
Reading age: 10+
Il mago dei numeri. Un libro da leggere prima di addormentarsi, dedicato a chi ha paura della matematica
Hans Magnus Enzensberger, illustrations by Rotraut Susanne Berner
Einaudi, 2014
06 May 2025The Turin International Book FairFrom 15 to 19 May, the Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino returns to Lingotto Fiere for its 37th edition. Its theme this year is “Words fall lightly”. ...+
06 May 2025
The Turin International Book Fair
From 15 to 19 May, the Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino returns to Lingotto Fiere for its 37th edition. Its theme this year is “Words fall lightly”.
Among more than 2,000 events at Lingotto and over 500 at the Salone Off across the city, pupils from primary and lower secondary schools will be able to attend a special session in the Sala Azzurra on Thursday 15 May 2025 at 2:30 p.m. Here they will meet the winners of the Premio Campiello Junior 2025: Ilaria Mattioni, author of La figlia del gigante (Feltrinelli), and Chiara Carminati, author of Nella tua pelle (Bompiani). They will be joined by Antonio Calabrò (Pirelli Foundation) and Raffaele Boscaini (Fondazione Il Campiello). To book, click here.
For the full programme, click here.
The Turin International Book Fair
06 May 2025Pulitzer Prize 2025The Pulitzer Prize is the most prestigious American award for journalism, literature and music. It was established in 1917 by Columbia University. The winners of the 2025 edition ...+
06 May 2025
Pulitzer Prize 2025
The Pulitzer Prize is the most prestigious American award for journalism, literature and music. It was established in 1917 by Columbia University.
The winners of the 2025 edition were announced on 5 May: the Fiction prize went to the novel “James” by Percival Everett (Doubleday), the Non-Fiction prize to “To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement” by Benjamin Nathans (Princeton University Press), and the Poetry award was given to “New and Selected Poems” by Marie Howe (W. W. Norton & Company).
To find out more, click here.
Pulitzer Prize 2025
23 April 2025World Book Day23 April marks World Book and Copyright Day, an event established by UNESCO in 1991. The occasion is also known as The Day of Books and Roses, whcih ...+
23 April 2025
World Book Day
23 April marks World Book and Copyright Day, an event established by UNESCO in 1991.
The occasion is also known as The Day of Books and Roses, whcih takes its name from a Catalan tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, linked to the Diada de Sant Jordi (“Saint George’s Day”), when it is customary to give a rose. In keeping with this tradition, Catalan booksellers offer a rose with every book sold.
World Book Day
14 April 2025Simone de BeauvoirSimone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir passed away in Paris on 14 April 1986. A towering figure in French literature and philosophy, she was one of the ...+
14 April 2025
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir passed away in Paris on 14 April 1986.
A towering figure in French literature and philosophy, she was one of the leading exponents of the existentialist movement and a key inspiration behind the French feminist movement of 1968. Her most notable works include the novels She Came to Stay and The Blood of Others, and the essay The Second Sex.