The anniversary (winner of Italy’s 2025 Strega Prize) is a work of autofiction blending real life biological experiences with imaginative storytelling. The book uses the raw material of his own life, the pain of an estranged difficult relationship with his parents to construct a universal narrative of the patriarchal family.
Andrea Bajani writes honesty about reasons to break ties with dad and mum. Families can be totalitarian and they are the most important social institution. In the Anniversary, a son reflects on the decade since his left his parents. Recounting his father’s violence, his mother’s silent acceptance and his journey to break free from the family tyranny, the reader connects with a vivid picture of fear, isolation and lack of safety at home.
The messages in this novel affect us all. The universal question is can you escape the grip of your origins. What can you do with an irrepressible desire to be free? Heartbreaking, the Anniversary is a must read.