It is well known that in our country, inhabited by numerous imaginative and creative artists, we love writing them more than reading books. For this reason, the life of publishing houses in general and small ones in particular is very arduous and difficult, so those who manage to sail for decades in this perilous sea deserve to be praised and thanked.
I am referring to the publishing house “Il Foglio Letterario” of Piombino (Livorno) which this year celebrates twenty-five years of activity. I had the opportunity to get to know this reality in a distant edition of the beautiful event dedicated precisely to small publishing, the “Book Festival” of Pisa, and was thus able to appreciate the richness and diversity of its editorial proposals. So, after learning, by chance, about the anniversary, I thought I’d go and look for its founder and main architect, Gordiano Lupito let me tell you something about his creation.
Mr. Gordiano Lupi, as I always tell everyone, introduce yourself.
“I am a small writer who in 1999 created an independent magazine and publishing house from scratch. I believe in the value of writing as a passion and not as a pursuit of success and a way to pander to the market. I have published a thousand books in 25 years, as a publisher, many as an author also for other publishers, without ever paying attention to what could represent a commercial success, but looking only at my idea of literature”.
When and why was the Literary Sheet born?
“As mentioned, in May 1999, first as a literary magazine, then as a publishing house that published book supplements; already in 2003 we had an author selected for the Premio Strega, among the 11 finalists, in Benevento: Wilson Saba, with “Sole & Baleno” (now Bompiani)”.
What distinguishes you from other publishing houses?
“Passion and total disinterest in the market”.
Who are your main collaborators?
“Vincenzo Trama directs the historical magazine www.ilfoglioletterario.it and the Librida series; Rocco Rosignali directs the Music series; Cristina De Vita directs the Poesia series; Patrizio Avella takes care of marketing and communication; Dargys Ciberio deals with sales and the commercial sector; Antonio Messina takes care of the blog and the press office; Stefano Tamburini should direct a future sports series; Patrizia Lessi and Ado Grilli take care of presentations and events… I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone.”
What are the areas of Tuscany where you are most present?
“All of Maremma and the province of Livorno, but we are present online everywhere with a widespread distribution managed by Libroco and Terminal: Amazon, IBS, Mondadori, Feltrinelli, Libreria Universitaria…”
Among the 1000 books you have published, are there any that you like to remember?
“I have already mentioned Wilson Saba, finalist at the Strega, I can add the first two books by Sacha Naspini, now an E/O author translated all over the world, which are “I sassi” and “L’ingrato”. “Masterchef Pellegrino Artusi. The art of eating well in Tuscany” by Patrice Avella. Finally, “The Devourer” by Lorenza Ghinelli, another discovery of mine, even if no one says it, it’s not cool to have been discovered by Gordiano Lupi, I’m not Giulio Mozzi. All our books have a reason for publication, which goes beyond the commercial value.”
What criteria do you follow to choose the books to publish and how many do you publish per year?
“We publish around 2 books a month, we favor fiction that has our area of Tuscany as its theater and fiction by young authors with a fluid and flowing style, without too much innovation. The criteria are Crocean: content and form. For non-fiction we try to fill the gaps left open by large publishing. For poetry we look for proposals in harmony with a traditional aesthetic taste.”
What are some of your latest publications that you recommend purchasing?
“The novel “Ruggine” by Alessandro Bosi, set in Capoliveri; the essays by Stefano Tamburini (“The price to pay” and “Beati, damnati e dreams rigged”), books on sport that go beyond sport and talk about human rights; the latest work of poetry by Zoé Valdés, a great Cuban writer: “Anatomy of the gaze”. And everyone else.”
How do authors have to behave in order to be published by you?
“They need to know our program and be in tune with what we do and share how we do it.”
From your point of view, how do you evaluate the current situation of Italian publishing?
“Painful. Well summarized by a cartoon that I attach, drawn by Enrico Guerrini and written by me. Editorial phenomena and armchair writers are published, who must know how to sell themselves, the quality of the writing only comes later. Fortunately, some important authors from the past remain (Starnone, De Luca and others)”
What are the prospects of the Literary Sheet for the future?
“Surviving (we have been doing so since 1999) by continuing not to bow to the logic of the market and trying to make people understand who we are. Two things, both very complicated.”
After these words we cannot help but thank Gordiano Lupi for his availability, congratulate him on the coherence, competence and tenacity with which he has carried out his work as a publisher for a quarter of a century, and wish him the best wishes for the next decades.
Guido Martinelli
Photo: Il Foglio Literary Editions
Tags: Foglio Letterario Piombino celebrates twentyfive years love books LArno .it
