

The luxury of youth
Sicily comes to life in the pages of Il lusso della giovinezza by Gaetano Savatteri, published by Sellerio, another novel starring Saverio Lamanna, a journalist and writer who is successful but forever unemployed, and his side-kick Peppe Piccionello. There is a corpse, that of an American businessman who was inspired by a generous wish to change the black soul of the island, starting at Castelbuono, a fascinating ancient town in the Madonie. A strange accident looks like it might be murder. There is a clash between the old and the young, between die-hard traditions and risky innovations. And there is a whiff of mafia dealings. And love stories that intertwine, despite differences in age. It is snowing, up there in the mountains. The thought of the sun is just a distant consolation. Like the sharp irony that helps unravel the outlines of the drama and pave the way for controversial truths. Il lusso della giovinezza Gaetano Savatteri Sellerio, 2021