After 8 years, the new awaited novel by Niccolò Ammaniti.
«Nothing is better than a book for getting into someone’s head. So, one day, one word after the other, I entered Maria Cristina Palma’s mind and came out after a year with a new novel». Niccolò Ammaniti
«The Intimate Life brings Niccolò Ammaniti back to his origins, to his most successful books, but with something more, something new. In the ironic and often grotesque hues that make his writing unmistakable, he gives us a modern Portrait of a Lady, as painful as Henry James’s masterpiece and capable of making us laugh to the point of tears». Paolo Repetti and Francesco Colombo, Einaudi Stile libero
«A truly original, surprising, mysterious novel that is as profound as it is entertaining». Julia Eisele, Eisele Verlag
«Undeniably good, catchy, fast, funny and smooth». Willemijn Peene, Lebowski Publishers
«The impact of the gaze of others on our behavior, the resulting loneliness, the staging of our lives, the hypocrisy of it all – so contemporary… And then in this sanitized world, back comes the body, the flesh, and of course desire». Audrey Scarbel, Editions Grasset
«A novel that does not avoid difficulties and comes out victorious. Excellent pacing, evocations, and sense of disaster. How good Niccolò Ammaniti is at portraying these feelings that are so hard to capture». Silvia Sesé, Editorial Anagrama
«What a novel! Fast and deep at the same time. Ammaniti manages to turn a psychological and personal story into a cultural and social analysis. An intelligent and sensitive book.» Rosa Rey, Angel Editorial
Niccolò Ammaniti
Niccolò Ammaniti was born and lives in Rome. He made his debut in fiction in 1995 with the novel Branchie. He is the author of award-winning novels and short stories, translated in 44 countries: Fango (1996), Ti prendo e ti porto via (1999), Io non ho paura (2001, Premio Viareggio), Come Dio comanda (2006, Premio Strega), Che la festa cominci (2009), Io e te (2010), Il momento è delicato (2012), Anna (2015) and La vita intima (The Intimate Life, 2023). In 2014 he edited the anthology Figuracce, which includes the short story Marco Risi contro la Maga della Maglianella.
Many of his books have been successfully made into films: L’ultimo capodanno (directed by Marco Risi, 1998); Branchie (directed by Francesco Ranieri Martinotti, 1999); Io non ho paura and Come Dio comanda (both directed by Gabriele Salvatores, 2003 and 2008), Io e te (directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, 2012). Following his work as author and director of the feature-length doc The Good Life (2014), Ammaniti has made his TV debut with The Miracle, a SKY original series for which he was showrunner, co-writer and co-director that also aired in France, Germany, Spain and UK. In 2019 Ammaniti received the Series Con Award. Ammaniti is also showrunner, co-writer and director of Anna, a Sky original TV series, based on the novel of the same name.
In January 2017, Niccolò Ammaniti has been awarded a honorary degree in Philology, Literature, and History.
La vita intima, a selected press review (PDF)
La vita intima, a selected press review from The Netherlands (PDF)
“Niccolò Ammaniti has written a magnificent novel, in which the animal past of our species is still active, the future announces itself to be increasingly improbable for us half-wits, and the present is worthy of being told precisely because of its unworthiness.” Tiziano Scarpa, Domani
“La vita intima climbs gently over our hopes and dreams. And our fears as well.” Antonella Lattanzi, Il Foglio
“In the happiness of being sad lies the strength of this novel that says much about the present and our frailties.” Cristina Taglietti, Corriere della Sera
“Stunning autobiography of a nation that comes through the portrait of this woman who looks a little like everyone.” Concita De Gregorio, la Repubblica
“Ammaniti, with his highly sensitive antennae to the spirit of the times, coins a beaming definition for a good chunk of humanity living on the planet in this era.” Paolo Di Paolo, La Stampa
“I’ve been looking forward to this for such a long time and now it’s finally here! And what a novel: Ammaniti drags you into the depths of Maria Cristina Palma’s soul and the sorrows of the Italian rich, as only he can. A wonderful, fantastic, impossible to put down reading experience.” Saskia Noort
“Ammaniti files our society masterfully in Het intieme leven: the failure of our politics, our obsession with appearances and the double life that social media forces us to live. That is tragic at times, but Ammaniti’s humor, which cuts us and is embalming at the same time, also spares and forgives us. He takes you on a journey through Italy with cinematic descriptions, from Tuscan farmlands to the Amalfi Coast and the Opera in Rome. But the humor is never far away – you’ll also be stuck in a chimney stack for half a chapter. It’s a beautiful journey with an instantly insufferable character who can’t help but seduce you.” De Tijd
Two booksellers from the Netherlands said:
“How wonderful is the latest Ammaniti! I had tears in my eyes from laughing. Another wonderfully vicious story.” Anthoni Fierloos, Paard van Troje & De Koperen Tuin bookstore
“A heart-warming and at times hilarious book about Maria Cristina, the wife of the Italian Prime Minister. I’m glad Ammaniti is back, and how! Within five pages Maria Cristina is your friend!” Olaf Tigchelaar, Bookstore Kramer & van Doorn
Foreign rights sold in:
Albania: Botimet Dudaj
Croatia: Vorto Palabra
France: Grasset
Germany: Eisele
Kuwait and Middle East: Dar Kalemat
Macedonia: Antolog
The Netherlands: Lebowski
Romania: Humanitas
Serbia: Vulkan
Spain: Anagrama
Spain (Catalan): Angle Editorial
- Italy
Einaudi
La vita intima (audiobook)
- Italy
Einaudi Stile Libero
La vita intima
- The Netherlands
Lebowski
Het Intieme Leven
Foreign publishers of Niccolò Ammaniti’s works:
Albania: Botimet Dudaj
Australia: Text Publishing
Brazil: Companhia das Letras, Bertrand Editora Brasil
Bulgaria: Colibri
China: Shangai 99, Crown Publishing, Horizon Media
Croatia: AGM, Profil, Vorto Palabra
Czech Republic: Havran, NLN, Nakladatelstvì Lidové noviny
Denmark: Gyldendal
Egypt: Beba Editions
Estonia: Pegasus
Finland: Otava Publishing
France: Edition du Félin, Grasset, Laffont
Georgia: Sulakauri
Germany: Fischer, Reclam, Piper
Greece: Perugia, Kastaniotis, Metaixmio
Hungary: Ulpius Haz, Noram kiado, Európa Könyvkiadó
Iceland: Bjartur
Israel: Kinneret
Japan: Hayakawa Shobo
Korea: SeamulkiulSigongsa
Kuwait and Middle East: Dar Kalemat
Latvia: Jāņa Rozes apgāds
Lithuania: Tyto Alba, Alma Littera
Macedonia: Kultura, Magor, Antolog Books
Mozambico: Societade Ediotorial Ndjira
The Netherlands: Wereldbibliotheek, Prometheus, Lebowski
Norway: HR Ferdinand, Vigmostad og Bjørke
Poland: Muza
Portugal: Dom Quixote, Bertrand Editora
Portugal (Mozambico): Sociedade editorial Ndjira
Romania: Humanitas
Russia: Machaon, Inostranka, Atticus
Serbia: Plato Books, Vulkan
Slovenia: Goga, Študentska založba
Slovakia: Slovart, Ikar
Spain and Latin America (Castilian): Grijalbo, Anagrama
Spain (Catalan): Empuries, Angle Editorial
Sweden: Norstedts
Thailand: Butterfly Publishing
Turkey: Can Yayinlari, Doğan Kitap
UK: Canongate
US: Canongate US, Black Cat-Grove Atlantic
Vietnam: Phu Nu