Writer Stefano Benni dies at 78

Stefano Benni died today, Tuesday, September 9th . One of the most original and beloved writers, journalists, poets, and screenwriters in contemporary Italian fiction, he passed away in Bologna, the city where he was born on August 12, 1947. He was 78 years old . He had been battling an illness for some time, which, while physically draining, had failed to dampen his free, ironic, and sharp spirit.

The news of his passing was confirmed to Adnkronos by his publishing house, Feltrinelli.

A visionary and unclassifiable author, Benni has captured our country with a unique perspective, blending political satire, surreal poetry, civic invective, and anarchic humor. His literary output has spanned genres and decades, never losing its freshness and originality, and has led generations of readers through fantastical worlds, unlikely bars, outcast rebels, and visionary prophets.

His books

With over twenty novels and short story collections - all published by Feltrinelli - including 'Bar Sport' (first edition Mondadori, 1976, the stories that established his success), 'Terra!' (1983), 'Baol' (1990), 'La Compagnia dei Celestini' (1992), 'Elianto' (1996), 'Saltatempo' (2001), 'Achille piè veloce' (2003), 'Margherita Dolcevita' (2005), Benni has built a recognizable literary universe, populated by eccentric and tenderly grotesque characters, often victims (but never accomplices) of a cynical and dehumanizing society.

His intelligent and never complacent satire also found its way into journalism: he wrote for publications such as 'L'Espresso', 'Panorama', 'Il manifesto', 'La Repubblica', 'Cuore', and 'Linus', contributing with his sharp pen to unmasking the hypocrisies of Italian politics and culture. He was also a television writer, among the first to write for a young Beppe Grillo.

Behind the humor, however, there was always a profound existential anxiety, a keen sensitivity to the injustices of the present, and a visceral love for freedom and art. Over the years, Benni had expanded his repertoire by writing plays, poems, fables, musicals, and graphic novels. Among his most recent titles: 'Giura' (2020), the poem 'Dancing Paradiso' (2019), and the autobiographical documentary 'Le avventure del Lupo' (2018). 'Il Lupo' was the nickname Benni had carried with him since childhood, linked to a childhood spent in the woods of the Bolognese Apennines and which, over time, became the symbol of a solitary, rebellious, and indomitable spirit.

Stefano Benni was also a strong supporter of public schools and culture as a common good: in 2015, he refused the Vittorio De Sica Prize, openly protesting the Renzi government's cuts to education and culture. His books, translated into over 30 languages, have captivated a diverse audience, from the youngest readers to the most discerning intellectuals, managing to combine lightheartedness and depth, commitment and imagination. A close friend of Daniel Pennac, he promoted the Italian translation of the French writer's early works at Feltrinelli. Their literary partnership, based on mutual respect and narrative affinity, is one of the most renowned in the European literary scene. ( by Paolo Martini )