I was very pleased to be invited recently to be interviewed by Tony Eames of NF Reads in the US about my books and the writing process. The interview can be read here

In my three recent launch events in Italy and Ireland, audiences showed great interest in one of The Bicycle Thief and the German Wife‘s central threads. This was Babí’s homeland of the SudTirol which became incorporated into Italy when Babí was aged 3 following WWI. The infamous option and the impact on Babi’s own family – including one brother-in-law who ended up with the German army in Stalingrad – are aspects that have generally been wiped out of Italian history.

The two books (available in English) providing good overviews of these times are:

• The South Tyrol Question, 1866-2010: from national rage to regional state by Georg Grote (who upto recently taught in UCD)
• South Tyrol: A minority conflict of the twentieth century by Rolf Steininger

Three other books (available only in Italian and German as far as I’m aware) which provide diverse perspectives are:

• Ereditá: una storia della mia famiglia tra l’impero e il fascismo by Lilli Gruber, a well known Italian journalist which recounts the story of her own German-speaking family in the region
• Eva Dorme by Francesca Melandri which although a (very readable and successful) novel really gives a great sense of the historical background and in some ways could reflect parts of Babi’s own life
• Dimenticare Mai by Franz Thaler which recalls the personal experience of a German-speaker whose family rejected the option, refusing to leave their native land to move to the Reich in 1940. Thaler came out of hiding from the Germans when his parents and siblings were threatened with imprisonment in the local Bolzano concentration camp. This brought Thaler to Dachau where only due to his youthful strength did he survive upto liberation. “Dimenticare Mai” means “never forget”.

What a great Irish launch last night for The Bicycle Thief and the German Wife!

Thanks to all in Dalkey Library during a very busy Dalkey Book Festival week. Gerry Mullins was our great MC on the evening to a packed house. But mostly, can I say a huge thanks to all who attended. Enjoy your new summer reading and pass on the word www.paulmartinwriter.com/where-to-buy/

I’m delighted to confirm my Irish book launch on Thursday, June 13th at 6.30pm in Dalkey Library. The event presenter is to be confirmed shortly.

This takes place the week of the international Dalkey Book Festival so plenty to enjoy for all book lovers.  I look forward to seeing you all then.

Thanks to everyone who came to the two book launches last week in Ancona and Fano for The Bicycle Thief and the German Wife.

Valentina Conti (Affinitá Elettive) and Valentina Foschi (Liceo Nolfi) were wonderful hosts on each evening. We’re also especially grateful to Paolo Marasca, Assessore Culturale for the Comune of Ancona, for giving his time to attend and for so being so generous in his introduction to the event and The Bicycle Thief and the German Wife.

The Dublin book launch is now bring organised which we hope will take place in early May.

Per comprare/To buy:

Affinitá Elettive, Ancona & Dove comprare/Where to Buy

Sará disponibile anche su Amazon a pasqua/The book will also be available on Amazon (Italia, UK and worldwide) from about Easter.