The Pike of Via Lago

June 1982. The summer is passing slowly for Mauri and his friends, as it does every year, as they occupy their time with imaginative games, swimming and football competitions. Suddenly, however, the peace and tranquillity of Lake Iseo is shattered by a mysterious event: while attempting to catch a legendary, enormous fish, Brando, Mauri's best friend, plunges into the still waters of the lake and never returns to the surface. In his place, mysterious notes written in his own hand begin to reappear. One word above all stops them in their tracks: zombie. Within each of them, amidst mutual doubts and suspicions, the fear that the legend is true begins to grow: are there really spirits living at the bottom of the lake? With an apt, rhythmic and suspenseful style, in this novel - his most complete to date - the author weaves together the three elements that have always distinguished his writing : a coming-of-age tale, replete with mystery and psychological insight. With a semi-autobiographical feel, "I lucci della via Lago" takes a light-footed approach but pays great attention to detail, painting a faithful portrait of the "boys of the 1980s", and showing today's young readers that emotions and feelings are universal, and make no distinction between the generations. It is an invitation to trust in the acuity and self-assuredness of the young, which often sees beyond the moderation and restraint of adults. I lucci della via lago di Giuseppe Festa Salani Editore, 2021