About the Author

Domenico Starnone was born in Naples in 1943 and now lives in Rome. He is the author of eight novels and numerous books of non-fiction. In 2001, he was the recipient of italy's most prestigious literary prize the Strega. Antony Shugaar's translations for Europa Editions include For Grace Recieved by Valeria Parrella, Everybody's Right by Paolo Sorrentino, Fabio Bartolomei's Alfa Romeo 1300 and Other Miracles, and Margherita Dolce Vita by Stefano Benni.

Reviews

Praise for First Execution -...one of the best short books you'll find this year.---The Globe and Mail -A complex novel on the themes of liberty, choice and destiny.---Il Manifesto -First Execution is a book about terrorism. At least it seems that way at first, but this first impression is erroneous. it narrates the difficulty of writing a book on terrorism.---La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (Italy) -From his earliest books, Starnone's literary point of reference has been Pirandello. His books are theatres of action, both physical and psycholgical action.---L'espresso (Italy) -First Execution could certainly be defined a 'political novel'. There's that too. But it is, moreover, a reflection on the fine line separating innocence and guilt, on the transmission of knowledge, on memory, on the value of schooling, on the relationship between generations.---Corriere della Sera (Italy)