'What should I read on vacation?': advice from writers, directors, and comedians

There's truly something for everyone. From timeless classics to scientific and popular science books, through essays that interpret current events or explore moments in our history. And let's not forget the more curious and entertaining books. Writers, directors, philosophers, presenters, and science communicators, along with comedians—consulted by AdnKronos—offer their reading recommendations for these vacation days leading up to Ferragosto . An invitation to indulge in a good book, summed up by comedian Dario Vergassola with a quip: "Reading lengthens your life. If you read, every day is worth twice as much. But you only pay for your beach umbrella once, so you've saved money. If you read, you live twice as long, so you've saved half the cost of your beach umbrella."

Getting more serious, but not overly so, Vergassola suggests two titles for the summer. The first is a volume to be handled with care because it contains some deliberately placed inaccuracies. "I'd recommend reading my own guide to my region, titled 'Liguria, land of grumbles and beauty. An ironic-sentimental guide' (Mondadori). I invented some things that weren't there because I was bored writing it. So I slipped in information that isn't true. It's become a 'fake' thing. When you read it, you have to check on your phone whether it's true or not because there are some pretty absurd things in it." Not just ironic books, though. "I'm reading—and I recommend it—a completely different and very beautiful book: 'Copenhagen Trilogy,' published by Fazi, by Tove Ditlevsen. It's a serious book, beautifully written, about the complicated life, from adolescence to adulthood, of this Danish poet," adds Vergassola.

For his part, Piero Chiambretti offers a varied range of readings. He begins with "Cavour: Life of the Man Who Made Italy" (Feltrinelli) by Giorgio Dell'Arti. The Prime Minister of the House of Savoy, Chiambretti explains with irony, "was also a leading gastronome. He ate like a madman. Today he'd be on Masterchef." The TV host's suggestions range from Schopenhauer's "The Art of Being Happy" (Adelphi) to Patrick Facciolo's "Logical Fallacies," published by HarperCollins. In this essay, the communications analyst explains and defuses those reasoning errors that make an argument unsound. The comedian and television writer also suggests "I Wanted to Be No One" by Enea Angelo Trevisan.

Gene Gnocchi has three selections: "A Beautiful November" (Bompiani) by Ercole Patti, a novel—also made into a film directed by Mauro Bolognini and starring Gina Lollobrigida—about a passion and erotic initiation that unfolds in a country house, one long, sweet Indian summer in the fall; "The Promise" by Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt, a thriller published in 1958 and republished by Adelphi. At the center of the story is Zurich police commissioner Matthäi, a policeman who isn't satisfied with the confession of a man accused of murdering a little girl. Matthäi knows the case isn't closed, because other children are in danger; "Sale di pietra" (Pendragon) by Maria Federica Baroncini, a novel that recounts the bombings of Faenza during World War II and the citizens' flight to the Ravenna countryside to hide from the horrors of the conflict.

As for writers, Dacia Maraini, the doyenne of the pen, recommends nonfiction rather than novels because "there's too much social alarm right now." Maraini is thinking "of a book about Matteotti titled 'Mussolini's Enemy,' written by Marzio Breda and Stefano Caretti, published by Solferino. It's a very beautiful book because it helps us understand the source of Matteotti's courage," while also highlighting "the historical situation of that moment. The other suggestion is 'The Presidents' (Rai Libri) by Monica Maggioni. These are two current affairs books—written not by historians but by storytellers—that I found very useful for understanding the present. This is a time of anguish and fear: and these two books help us understand that history can repeat itself."

More specifically, Maraini emphasizes that Maggioni's book makes it clear "that Trump is behind a complex ideology." His trajectory stems "from a very dangerous movement of thought opposed to democracy, which considers it a scrap of scrap metal. This movement maintains that the world should be governed by a few highly technologically skilled people. Technology, in short, should lead the world." At the heart of this model are "people like Trump and Musk, who represent an oligarchy of extremely wealthy industrialists. For them, culture is dangerous, which is why universities should be abolished or reinstated. Behind Trump, therefore, is not a capricious man but a philosophy."

Maurizio de Giovanni , instead, draws "attention to 'Primmammore' by Titti Marrone, published by Feltrinelli, a beautiful and terrible book because it deals with the case of child abuse in Caivano a few years ago. Titti Marrone covered it as a journalist and wrote a beautiful novel about it that I definitely recommend reading."

For those seeking more challenging beach reading with a scientific edge, popularizer and TV host Barbara Gallavotti suggests "'Orbital' by Samantha Harvey, which won the 2024 Booker Prize. It's a novel about life on the International Space Station. I would also recommend 'Corpo, umano' by Vittorio Lingiardi, a book that won the Strega Prize for nonfiction: it's a reading of the human body by someone who works in psychiatry." As for novels, Gallavotti recommends 'The Gambler' by Dostoevsky, 'The Visit' by Dürrenmatt, and 'L'Anniversario' by Bajani, which won the latest edition of the Strega Prize.

Recommendations also come from director Pupi Avati , himself the author of numerous books, the latest of which is 'The American Garden,' which also inspired the film of the same name. "I'm suggesting two titles. Both," he told Adnkronos, "are essential books. They are books that, within the context of twentieth-century literature, I have certainly loved the most: the first is 'Journey to the End of the Night' by Céline and the other is 'Under the Volcano' by Malcolm Lowry. These books, among my favorites—in terms of twentieth-century literature—have replaced Faulkner's 'As I Lay Dying.' These two titles now top my list. It also seems to me that 'Under the Volcano' is a book that is rarely read in Italy, so it's a valuable suggestion." For the director, recommending a good book "that fascinates you and waits for you on your bedside table in the evening is a very precious gift that someone gives you. The suggestion of 'Under the Volcano' was, I think, one of the most beautiful gifts I've ever received. It's a book that struck me, fascinated me, seduced me."

Philosopher Stefano Zecchi speaks about classics, volumes that—as he told Italo Calvino— "never finish saying what they have to say." "I always recommend reading the classics," he emphasizes, "because you can never go wrong with them and you don't waste time. Depending on the reader's sensitivity, I suggest Dostoevsky's 'The Brothers Karamazov' for a reader more attentive to the drama of situations. If, on the other hand, they're more interested in a reflection on reality, the environment, and nature, Thomas Mann's 'The Magic Mountain'. For those who want to immerse themselves in the flow of historical and adventurous events of their soul, I would recommend at least the first book of Marcel Proust's 'In Search of Lost Time': 'Swann's Way.' For a woman, I would recommend the most beautiful book that describes a woman, Leo Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina.' That way, he jokes, 'I don't make contemporary enemies.' The classics are absolutely contemporary."

Finally, the journalist and writer Vittorio Sabadin , an expert and scholar of the English royal family, focuses his proposals on three titles in particular. "Unfortunately," she says, "after the death of Elizabeth II, the English monarchy has become increasingly boring, apart from the unpredictability of Harry and Meghan, who have so far achieved nothing memorable. But there are three books I recommend for lovers of the British royal family: 'Behind the Crown' by Tina Brown, 'The Queen's Governess' by Wendy Holden, 'Courtesians' by Valentine Low, absolutely not to be missed. The book by Tina Brown, who wrote a memorable biography of Lady Di, she explains, has the merit of being up-to-date on the latest events at the court of Charles III. The arrival of Meghan, for example, the full rehabilitation of Camilla, finally accepted as queen. 'The Queen's Governess' instead rehabilitates another woman, Marion Crowford, the nanny and first governess of Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. She committed an unforgivable sin, violating a fundamental principle that binds all those who work for the royal family, that of never revealing anything. She, on the other hand, She wrote a book. She was much loved by the little princesses, but after her work was published, the English royal family never spoke to her again."

Valentina Low also talks about 'Courtisans. The Secret Power Behind the English Crown', another of the books recommended for the summer. "It tells the story of what goes on behind the scenes at the English court," Sabadin reports, "of how valets, advisors, and chamberlains are fundamental, indispensable in the life of the royal family: the staff advises, suggests, has ghostwriters, chooses the clothes, colors, and jewelry to wear." Sabadin, for his part, has decided to dedicate his holidays to the philosopher Spinoza. "A discovery and a deep admiration for him," he confesses. "I started with Irvin D. Yalom's book 'The Spinoza Problem' published by Feltrinelli. I began reading all the works of this great Dutch thinker of Jewish origin, beloved by Alfred Rosenberg, who was sentenced to death in Nuremberg. I recommend Yalom's text," he concludes, "it opens an extraordinary window on Spinoza the man and the philosopher." (by Carlo Roma)