Andrea Bajani Wins Strega Book Prize with L’anniversario

Rome: Andrea Bajani won the Strega Book Prize overnight with his novel L’anniversario (The Anniversary). Rome-born Bajani, who debuted in 2005 with Cordiali saluti (Warm Greetings) and first found fame with his 2007 novel Se consideri le colpe (If You Weigh the Guilt), was the hot bookies’ favourite for Italy’s premier literary award. The winning entry got 194 votes, handily ahead of Elisabetta Rasy’s ‘Perduto ¨ questo mare’, a tale of a dreamer father and his friend the great writer Raffaele La Capria, which got 133.

According to Ansa News Agency, Bajani expressed his gratitude to those who believed in him, including readers and publishers. The author, visibly moved, acknowledged the 60th anniversary of Feltrinelli, the publishing house that supported him throughout his career. He remarked on how literature challenges the official narrative, while dressed in a minimalist suit to accommodate the midnight heat in Rome.

Already a winner of the Premio Strega Giovani 2025 and a finalist for the Premio Strega and Campiello in 2021 with Il libro delle case (The Book of Houses), Bajani explores themes of domestic oppression and personal narrative in L’anniversario. The novel navigates between fiction and autofiction, presenting a story of family intrigue and the notion of escape intertwined with guilt.

The Strega Book Prize, named after its sponsors who produce a well-known yellow liqueur, faced controversy this year with Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli. Giuli claimed he had not received the competing books and was not invited, leading to a dispute with the organisers, who stated that Giuli had opted to attend an event in Germany instead.

Furthermore, the Italian government announced it is considering relocating the prestigious event from its traditional venue at Rome’s Villa Giulia to the historic Cinecitt  film studios.