Morning Sea

"A tragedy for our time." - Kirkus Reviews

"Mazzantini's lyrical novel puts a human face on migration and displacement." Booklist

When Farid's beautiful young mother Jamila tries to escape Libya by boat, it is the first time that Farid will see the sea. This is the same sea into which Vito stares from a beach on the opposite side Farid and Jamila's destination. But unfortunately, the Mediterranean does not fulfill its promise of a new life for the two young refugees. Instead, it becomes their prison.

A tale of moving intensity, Morning Sea is about human migration. It is about the fate of those exiled from their houses, relatives, and roots; about the violence of nature and war; and about the strength of women compelled by injustice to defend their children's futures. With terse and astute language, Mazzantini captures perfectly the dark, uncertain quality of our times. She asks: when must we commit ourselves to the right of all humans to live with dignity and respect?

Margaret Mazzantini was born in Dublin and lives in Rome with her husband and four children. She made her literary debut in 1994 with Il catino di zinco (The Zinc Basin), followed by Manola (1999) and in 2001 she published Non ti muovere (Don’t Move, which won multiple awards including the Premio Strega, Premio Grinzane Cavour, Premio Citta di Bari, and European Zepter Prize, and in 2004 it was made into an acclaimed film directed by Sergio Castellitto and starring Penelope Cruz. After the theatrical monologue Zorro (2002), Mazzzantini published the novel Venuto al mondo (Twice Born, 2008, published by Oneworld Publications in 2011), which won the prestigious Premio Campiello prize in 2009, and was made into a film directed by Sergio Castellitto, starring Penelope Cruz and Emile Hirsch (2012). This was followed by Nessuno si salva da solo (No One Survives Alone, 2011) and Mare al mattino (Morning Sea, 2011) the latter winning the Premio Cesare Pavese, and Premio Matteotti awards. Her most recent novel is Splendore (Splendour, 2013). Margaret Mazzantini’s books are international bestsellers, and have been translated in more than 30 languages.

Ann Gagliardi, a New England native, lives and works in Bologna, Italy. Her literary translations include work by authors Rosanna Campo, Ascanio Celestini, Margaret Mazzantini and Christian Raimo. Ann holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and a BA in Italian and Medieval Renaissance Studies from Wellesley College.