Masters of Irony

Alessandro Piperno’s books have been described as post-Primo Levi literature. His novel, The Worst Intentions, is an irreverent description of 3 generations of a rich Jewish family from Turin.

With his Don Juan de la Mancha -a vivid portrait of the post-’68 generation -Robert Menasse, one of the leading voices in Austrian literature, is more entertaining and facetious than ever.

Both share the same ironic outlook on life, sex and families.

Robert Menasse has established himself in the German-language world as a  major novelist, literary critic and political and social theorist of his generation. His works include the trilogy Wings of Stone, Meaningful Certainty, Reverse Thrust, The Expulsion from Hell and collections of essays such as Dullness is Kin to Power.

Alessandro Piperno is a Professor of French literature at Rome’s Tor Vergata University. In 2000 he published his non-fiction book, Proust Anti-Jew, dividing his readers into staunch supporters or  fierce detractors. His debut novel, The Worst Intentions, was an instant bestseller and won the Campiello Prize for first novels.

Hepzhibah Anderson studied English Literature at Cambridge University. She was Fiction Editor of the Daily Mail and reviewer of debut fiction for The Observer. She now works freelance as critic, feature writer and broadcaster. Her first book Chastened: Adventures in Abstinence will be published in June 2009.

Sponsored by the Austrian Cultural Centre and the Italian Cultural Institute