The village of Nemi, in the Castelli Romani, is the backdrop to “Spire”, a novel that marks the debut of journalist Maria Pia Nocerino, a touching story about the challenges of relatives of Alzheimer’s patients. The author revealed this during the presentation of the book at the historic Tuttoscuola bookshop in Torre del Greco (NA).
The protagonist of “Spire” is Marlena, a woman determined to save the family ice cream shop which has been out of good shape for some time; while she tries to implement solutions to revive the fortunes of the ice cream shop, Marlena meets and gets to know Paul. The two meet for the first time next to a characteristic fountain in the town. He recently moved to that village and his French name arouses a lot of curiosity in the village.
During the presentation, the author revealed that the fountain described in the novel is the one located in the municipality of Nemi, in the Castelli Romani. It is a fountain surmounted by a bronze sculpture depicting the head of a large Medusa created by local artist Luciano Mastrolorenzi.
The author said she found inspiration for the book’s title during a weekend in Castelli Romani, where she was fascinated not only by the beauty of the place, but also by the suggestive fountain.
The story, with a deeply human and touching narrative, explores the daily challenges, silent suffering and resilience that characterize the life of those who care for an Alzheimer’s patient. Through a series of exciting and realistic events, the author manages to convey the complexity of this experience, made up of love, sacrifice and pain.
“The story told, which I hope will find a place in your hearts, draws inspiration from real events. Although the meeting between the protagonists of the story is the result of narrative invention and their present is born from my imagination, their past and their future are rooted in authentic events that I have reinterpreted through my writing. Before venturing into the creation of these pages, I in fact dedicated time to listening to direct testimonies, eager to fully understand the dramatic experience of some families” – the author reports.
The positive public response and emotional resonance of the book suggest that “Spire” could become an important point of reference in contemporary literature dedicated to the topics of Alzheimer’s and caregiving.
Spire, published by Rossini, is available from 21 June at all bookshops and at all online bookstores. Genre: Fiction – EAN 9791259695093 – 146 pages – Format 14×21 paperback.
