TALES FROM THE LAKE

Small lives, big heroes – Andrea Vitali’s literary characters

Text by Alessandra Fusé

Bellano on Lake Como, where Andrea Vitali pens his books

Andrea Vitali, a professional doctor and writer, has authored 14 books and had his work translated into nine languages. His passion for writing spans 20 years; having won numerous awards, he’s now an acclaimed author on all counts.

The writer
Andrea Vitali Vitali first found fame in 2003, with the novel Una finestra vistalago (A Lake-View Window). In 2004 he won the Grinzane Cavour Prize and the 2005 novel La figlia del podestà (The Magistrate’s Daughter) was awarded the prestigious Bancarella prize.

He works, lives and writes in the enchanting town of Bellano on Lake Como, which serves as the backdrop for almost all his work. The reason for his popularity is commonly attributed to the ease with which the reader can identify with his characters. Everyday people are the protagonists in these outstanding, action-packed fictions, though the stories are based in varied social settings and unusual historical periods.

Where did your desire to write come from?
Writing for me means communicating with others. I don’t write for myself but for my readers, for whoever wants to read my books. It’s a way of sharing stories and emotions; if it was any other way, we would be dead on the day of our birth. Being honest with one’s audience and keeping the reader in mind when writing is fundamental. For me, the relationship between reader and writer is akin to that between doctor and patient – trust is vital.

Is your website, www.andreavitali.net, also a way for you to interact with your audience? After all, readers can leave comments.
I would say so, yes. Positive feedback from readers stimulates me to write and to continue developing new stories to share with them.

What is the source of your inspiration?
My early work came from listening to my family’s stories. I felt the need to steal from the chit chat and gossip which I could then turn into novels. The richest source from which to draw inspiration is day- to-day life, but the leitmotif that ties all my books together is where I live: Bellano on Lake Como. The protagonists and the times change, but the lake is always the stage where the drama of each novel takes place.

His latest novel Which era do you prefer to set your novels in?
I love the 1900s, a time of tragic events, but also important because it gave rise to significant cultural movements such as futurism.

Speaking of futurism, you wrote about one of the most famous founders of this movement in the book L’Ombra di Marinetti (Marinetti’s Shadow, 1995), winner of the Piero Chiara Prize for Literature.
Yes. Marinetti is someone who intrigues me. I admire his faith in his own artistic ideas – he was born extremely rich and died very poor having spent his fortune in the name of futurism. He is a man to look up to.

Has your writing style changed since the publication of your first book in 1988, Il Procuratore?
In 20 years my writing has become more concise – brevity has more rhythm. This change has received positive feedback from my readers.

Can you tell us anything about upcoming books?
In November 2008 Dopo lunga e penosa malattia [After Long and Painful Disease] will be released, a title already published in 2001 by Turin publisher Aragno, and in 2009 another new book will be issued by Garzanti publications. Almeno il cappello [At Least the Hat] is a working title, but the reader will recognise the same ambience and scent of the lake.

TALES FROM THE LAKE

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