Born in 1962, FABIO STASSI is regarded as one of Italy's most ambitious and talented writers. He has previously published three novels: Fumisteria [Joking] (2006), which won the Premio Vittorini for best first novel; È finito il nostro carnevale [Our carnival has come to an end] (2007), which was sold to Annablume (Brazil) and Kein & Aber (Germany); and La rivincita di Capablanca [Capablanca's revenge] (2008), which won the Premio Palmi and the Premio Coni and sold to Kein & Aber (Germany). He lives in Viterbo and works in the Oriental Institute Library of the University of Rome.