SILVIA E L'ENIGMA DELLA SIBILLA

An author with over 100.000 copies sold, Nicola Gardini celebrates love and passion for Latin culture with his first novel for young readers, doing for classicism what Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder did for philosophy.

Two friends and an unforgettable journey full of magic where we can meet the main characters of Latin world: the first novel that celebrates ancient culture dedicated to kids. A dip in Roman time, apparently old and far from us, that still has so much to teach. Silvia and Giulio are both thirteen and best friends since childhood. During summer Giulio takes a vacation with his family, but Silvia's parents can't do the same: the only thing she can do is stay home and read everything she can. One day she finds an old book nearby a garbage can: it's a Latin grammar book. Immediately, she finds the study of this language very fascinating. She is so into Latin world that she dreams abut it every night. She can't wait to involve Giulio in this new passion. As he gets home, Silvia manages to bring him with her in a journey they will never forget. Through dreams, they will find themselves into Ancient Rome, but unfortunately, something unexpected happesn: as Giulio insults Carmenta, the Writing Goddess, she transforms hin in a fish. Meeting great characters uch as Orazio and Cicerone, Silvia will learn some important life lessons. She will find her way to grow un and, hopefully, meet Giulio again. A great adventure that divides Silvia and Gulio at first, and then finally reunites them, more friends than before, and above all, happier and stronger than ever. Latin culture has no secrets for Nicola Gardini, acclaimed novelist, and Oxford professor, who reveals us anecdotes and little-know stories about Ancient Rome with this fantasy novel. He shows how past and present hold each other in one great embrace, like the two protagonist friends. Nicola Gardini (1965) teaches Italian and Comparative literature at Osford University. He is the author of Alpha Test, a Latin grammar. He won the Viareggio-Rèpaci 2012 prize with the novel Le parole perdute di Amelia Lynd. His latest poetry collection is Tradurre è un bacio. He wrote Viva il latino (2016) and Viva il greco (2021) both with Garzanti. He has curated works by both classic and modern writers, including Catullus, Marcus Aurelius, Ted Hughes and Emily Dickinson.