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Edition 77 (2006) Winner
Roberto Saviano
ロベルト・サヴィアーノ
Roberto Saviano
Pen Names:
Roberto Ercolino（Used as a pseudonym while contributing to Il Bolscevico during high school）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1979-09-22 （Naples, Italy）
- Nationality
- Italy
- Languages
- Italian, English
- Religion
- Jewish heritage
- Residence History
- Near Caserta (grew up) → Various protected residences (in Italy and abroad) → Milan (honorary citizen)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Journalist, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 2000-
- Influenced By
- Giustino Fortunato, Gaetano Salvemini, Errico Malatesta, Mikhail Bakunin, Rocco Scotellaro, Ernst Jünger, Ezra Pound, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Carl Schmitt, Julius Evola
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Naples Federico II | Faculty of Philosophy | Department of Philosophy | Laurea（哲学） | — | Italy |
University of Naples Federico II
Faculty of Philosophy
/ Department of Philosophy
Degree:
Laurea（哲学）
Country:
Italy
Reportedly studied under historian Francesco Barbagallo
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | European Book Prize | — | — | European Book Prize organisation | 受賞 |
| 2011 | PEN/Pinter Prize | — | — | PEN | 受賞 |
| 2011 | Olof Palme Prize | — | — | Olof Palme Memorial Fund | 受賞（共受賞：リディア・カチョと） |
| 2011 | Honorary bachelor's degree in law (honoris causa) | — | — | University of Genoa | 授与 |
| 2009 | Honorary Member of the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera | — | — | Academy of Fine Arts of Brera | 授与 |
| 2012 | Asteroid 278447 Saviano (named in his honour) | — | — | Minor Planet Center | 命名 |
| 2019 | Oxfam Novib/PEN Award for Freedom of Expression | — | — | PEN International / Oxfam Novib | 受賞 |
| 2012 | Honorary citizenship of Milan | — | — | City of Milan | 授与 |
| 2013 | Honorary citizenship of Florence | — | — | City of Florence | 授与 |
European Book Prize
2010
Organization:
European Book Prize organisation
Result:
受賞
PEN/Pinter Prize
2011
Organization:
PEN
Result:
受賞
Olof Palme Prize
2011
Organization:
Olof Palme Memorial Fund
Result:
受賞（共受賞：リディア・カチョと）
Honorary bachelor's degree in law (honoris causa)
2011
Organization:
University of Genoa
Result:
授与
Honorary Member of the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera
2009
Organization:
Academy of Fine Arts of Brera
Result:
授与
Asteroid 278447 Saviano (named in his honour)
2012
Organization:
Minor Planet Center
Result:
命名
Oxfam Novib/PEN Award for Freedom of Expression
2019
Organization:
PEN International / Oxfam Novib
Result:
受賞
Honorary citizenship of Milan
2012
Organization:
City of Milan
Result:
授与
Honorary citizenship of Florence
2013
Organization:
City of Florence
Result:
授与
Awards & Nominations
European Book Prize
1 appearances
Works
Major Works
Gomorrah
2006 Non-fiction / Investigative journalism 352 pagesA detailed investigative account exposing the economic and social workings of the Camorra in Naples and the Campania region, and the relationship between organised crime and local society.
Organised crimeCorruption and economySouthern Italian societyEnvironmental damage
Adaptations
- [Film] Gomorrah (film) / Matteo Garrone (2008)
- [TV series] Gomorrah - La serie / Stefano Sollima, Francesca Comencini, Claudio Cupellini 等 (2014)
Translations
- Gomorrah (English translation and many others)
ZeroZeroZero
2013 Non-fiction / Investigation of international crime 432 pagesA reportage tracing the movement of cocaine and the financial networks behind it, analysing how drug money interacts with the global economy.
International drug tradeFinance and money launderingGlobal economy
Adaptations
- [TV series] ZeroZeroZero (TV series) / Stefano Sollima, Janus Metz, Pablo Trapero 等 (2019)
Translations
- ZeroZeroZero (English translation: Penguin Press)
The Piranhas (La paranza dei bambini)
2016 Fiction (novel) 224 pagesA fictional novel about young gang members in Naples, portraying violence, youth life, and the illusory power created by crime.
Youth crimeViolenceCommunity poverty
Adaptations
- [Film] Piranhas (film) / Claudio Giovannesi (2019)
Translations
- The Piranhas (English translation available)
Bibliography
- Gomorrah (2006)
- ZeroZeroZero (2013)
- The Piranhas (2016)
- Savage Kiss (2017/2020)
- Various essays, short stories and comics
Adaptations
- Gomorrah (film & TV series), ZeroZeroZero (TV series), Piranhas (film)
Translations by Author
- Audiobook reading of Primo Levi's 'Se questo è un uomo' (Italian, 2013)
Translations of Works
- Gomorrah → translated into English and many other languages
- ZeroZeroZero → English translation (ZeroZeroZero)
- La paranza dei bambini → English (The Piranhas)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Blurring the line between non-fiction and fictionDetailed, place-based descriptionsCombination of investigative reportage and literary expression
- Recurring Motifs
- Organised crimeEconomy and corruptionSouthern Italian landscapes and societyViolence and youth culture
Legacy
Roberto Saviano gained international attention for exposing organised crime such as the Camorra, becoming a symbol for freedom of expression and civic justice while also facing threats, legal disputes and plagiarism controversies. His works have had broad influence through film/TV adaptations and translations.
In Popular Culture
- Referenced in songs by Massive Attack and various Italian rappers
- Gomorrah adapted into film, TV series and a video game
- Asteroid 278447 named after him
Quotes
-
“It's my reader who bothers criminal organizations, it's not me. The fact that, in this moment, we are talking about it, that all the newspapers talked about it, that books continue to be published, and that documentaries continue to come out is what they don't want.”
Source: From Gomorrah (statement) (2006)
Trivia
- Has lived under police protection since 2006 due to threats from the Camorra.
- Asteroid 278447 was named 'Saviano' in his honour.
- Contributed to Il Bolscevico in high school under the pseudonym Roberto Ercolino.