The handover between Nicola Lagioia and Annalena Benini: “The Book Fair can still grow”, “I can’t wait to get started”

TURIN. The ideal handover between the outgoing director of the Book Fair Nicola Lagioia and the new director Annalena Benini took place today in a public meeting, obviously at the Book Fair. It was also an opportunity to talk about their love for literature and to talk about the latest books they wrote: the recent Annalena by Benini and the more dated The city of the living by Lagioia, an immersion in evil in the latter, in the opposite direction that of the new director who will sign the contract on Monday for a commitment that does not promise to be easy at all.
The Salone branded Lagioia, born in the difficulties of the Milanese attempt to snatch the kermesse in Turin and consecrated in a huge success with the public. We could define it almost unbelievable, if we consider how increasingly difficult the publishing market is. Oh God, books are published – and many too -, it’s the readers who are missing.

As it is, as it is not, even today the Turin Salone recorded a large number of accesses and great attention to meetings with authors and authors.
«I am sure that Annalena Benini will be a great director for this Salone» is the conviction/hope of Lagioia, who then – half-jokingly adds: «Give her a hand because Turin is not an easy place, even if now it is more than 7 years ago. I was very happy when I learned of her nomination, I am sure that with her the Salone will grow further, because it still has a lot of margin ». The director’s mother is in the dining room, and it is she who Lagioia involves in his farewell, addressing the front row where the owners of the Salone and its publisher are located: «It didn’t seem true to my mother that I had found a position fixed and now I can’t convince her that I voluntarily left the Salon. You who were there, persuade her that mine was a free and voluntary act.’
Taking up the baton of the histrionic Lagioia is the more sedate Benini who recounts his amazement at how this huge machine came to life in a short time: «I’ve been here for a few days and I’ve seen how the Salone grew, how it was built. I saw stands that didn’t exist and after two hours they were there and they were full of books. It’s not possible that tomorrow morning everything will be ready, I said to myself». From visitor or guest to director: «I have often come to the Salone in the past, loving it very much, traveling with Nicola these days I have seen the passion with which it is built. Passion that all the people I’ve met put into it. It’s a huge thing. And I am very happy, I think that something beautiful can be done, just as Nicola’s Salone was wonderful. I’ll put the love to do it, for books. And for the readers, because that’s who we all are. I can’t wait to get started.”