Michele Mari Wins The 80th Strega Prize with I Convitati Di Pietra

Michele Mari, the winner of the 80th Strega Prize with I Convitati di Pietra

The final evening of the 80th edition of the Strega Prize, Italy’s most prestigious literary award, concluded in the historic setting of Rome’s Piazza del Campidoglio. Michele Mari emerged as the winner with his novel I convitati di pietra (The Stone Guests), published by Einaudi, receiving 190 votes out of 643 cast, representing 80.4% of eligible voters.

Finishing behind Mari were Matteo Nucci with Platone. Una storia d’amore (Feltrinelli), which received 152 votes; Bianca Pitzorno’s La sonnambula (Bompiani), with 84 votes; Alcide Pierantozzi’s Lo sbilico (Einaudi), with 78 votes; Teresa Ciabatti’s Donnaregina (Mondadori), with 75 votes; and Elena Rui’s Vedove di Camus (L’orma), with 64 votes.

With I convitati di pietra, Michele Mari delivers a novel that masterfully blends irony, nostalgia, and reflections on time and friendship. The story begins with a group of former classmates from Class III A who, after graduating from high school, make an unusual “ill-fated pact” that will bind them until the last day of their lives. The frozen world of school memories where old classmates remain forever recognizable despite the passing decades contrasts with adulthood, as rivalry and the promise of an extraordinary prize turn what began as a joke into a ruthless competition for survival.

Through this premise, Mari explores the complexities of friendship, revealing how affection, ambition, and competitiveness often coexist beneath the surface. His writing moves effortlessly between humor and melancholy, combining emotional depth with playful linguistic inventiveness. In its citation, the Strega Prize jury praised Mari for creating “a merciless writing capable of profound compassion,” highlighting his ability to play with language and memory while crafting “a dark novel that toys with the passage of time,” describing it as “a comic, ensemble work that Carlo Emilio Gadda himself would have appreciated.”

Mari’s victory adds a new chapter to the distinguished history of the Strega Prize, established in 1947 through the patronage of Guido Alberti. Since its inception, the award has served as a barometer of Italian literary culture, with its winning books reflecting the country’s evolving language, traditions, and social changes. The 80th edition once again confirms the Strega Prize’s status as the foremost recognition in contemporary Italian literature.