European Book Prize
1 appearances
Erri De Luca
エッリ・デ・ルーカ
Erri De Luca
Pen Names:
Enrico ("Erri")（Birth name / familiar form; "Erri" used as pen name）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1950-05-20 （Naples）
- Nationality
- Italy
- Languages
- Italian, Ancient Hebrew (studied), Russian (studied), Yiddish (studied), Swahili (studied)
- Religion
- Non-religious (studies Judaism)
- Residence History
- Naples (birth) → Turin (worked/lived) → Countryside near Rome (current residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Poet, Translator, Screenwriter, Actor (short films), Blue-collar worker (past), Mountaineer
- Active Years
- 1970-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-taught | — | — | — | 主に1970年代以降、独自の読書と語学学習を通じて習得 | — |
Self-taught
Period:
主に1970年代以降、独自の読書と語学学習を通じて習得
Learned Ancient Hebrew and several other languages largely by self-study and produced literary translations of biblical books.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | France Culture Prize | Aceto, Arcobaleno | — | France Culture | 受賞 |
| 2002 | Laure Bataillon Award | Three Horses | — | Laure Bataillon | 受賞 |
| 2002 | Prix Fémina Étranger | God's Mountain | — | Prix Fémina | 受賞 |
| 2010 | Petrarca-Preis | — | — | Petrarca-Preis (organizers) | 受賞 |
| 2013 | European Prize for Literature | — | — | European Prize for Literature | 受賞 |
| 2016 | European Book Prize | Le plus et le moins | — | European Book Prize | 受賞 |
| 2020 | Le prix André Malraux | — | — | Le prix André Malraux | 受賞 |
France Culture Prize
1994
Work:
Aceto, Arcobaleno
Organization:
France Culture
Result:
受賞
Laure Bataillon Award
2002
Work:
Three Horses
Organization:
Laure Bataillon
Result:
受賞
Prix Fémina Étranger
2002
Work:
God's Mountain
Organization:
Prix Fémina
Result:
受賞
Petrarca-Preis
2010
Organization:
Petrarca-Preis (organizers)
Result:
受賞
European Prize for Literature
2013
Organization:
European Prize for Literature
Result:
受賞
European Book Prize
2016
Work:
Le plus et le moins
Organization:
European Book Prize
Result:
受賞
Le prix André Malraux
2020
Organization:
Le prix André Malraux
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Not Now, Not Here
1989 Fiction / Short storiesDe Luca's first book; a collection of early pieces exploring labor, memory and travel in a spare, poetic style.
WorkMemoryTravel
God's Mountain
2002 NovelSet in Naples, it follows the coming-of-age of a poor boy and his encounters with religious experience; highly praised in France.
Coming of ageReligiosityThe city of Naples
Translations
- God's Mountain (English translation)
The Day Before Happiness
2009 NovelA reflective novel tracing memories of childhood, interweaving family, place, loss and hope.
FamilyReminiscenceNaples
Translations
- The Day Before Happiness (English translation)
The Nightshift Belongs to the Stars
2012 Short story / ScreenplayA short piece portraying a nocturnal conversation with a mother; adapted by De Luca into a short film.
Mother-childMemoryDialogue
Adaptations
- [Short film] The Nightshift Belongs to the Stars / Edoardo Ponti (2012)
Bibliography
- Not Now, Not Here
- Una nuvola come tappeto
- Aceto, Arcobaleno
- Three Horses
- God's Mountain
- The Day Before Happiness
- The Nightshift Belongs to the Stars
- Le plus et le moins
- La Genesi (Genesis)
Adaptations
- The Nightshift Belongs to the Stars (short film)
- The Experimental Age (short/documentary)
- I pesci non chiudono gli occhi (docu-fiction)
Translations by Author
- Exodus
- Jonah
- Ecclesiastes
- Ruth
Translations of Works
- Montedidio → God's Mountain (English translation)
- Tre cavalli → Three Horses (English translation)
- Il giorno prima della felicità → The Day Before Happiness (English translation)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Spare, poetic proseBiblical and oral-narrative influencesFragmentary and introspective depiction
- Recurring Motifs
- Mountains and climbingMemory and childhoodBiblical motifsWorking-class perspective
Legacy
A writer recognized in Italy and internationally, De Luca's work—through translations and screen adaptations—has had broad influence. Noted for his engagement with biblical texts and civic interventions, he is seen as a figure connecting literature and civic commitment.
Museums
- Fondazione Erri De Luca Italy (location details not specified) Opened in 2011
Archives
- Archives of the Fondazione Erri De Luca
In Popular Culture
- Adaptations into short films and documentaries, and wide translation of works into many languages
Quotes
-
"An injustice has been avoided."
Source: Corriere della Sera (comment after acquittal) (2015)
Trivia
- Has been writing since about age 20; first book published in 1989.
- Worked at a Fiat factory, as a truck driver and mason in earlier years.
- Self-taught in Ancient Hebrew and translated several books of the Hebrew Bible.
- Prosecuted over statements opposing the Turin–Lyon high-speed rail project but acquitted in 2015.
- An avid mountaineer; mountain motifs recur in his writing.