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The ‘novel’ about Nafis leave behind centuries of history and speaks to readers of the 21st century. It tells us, in his long travel diary, that another Earth is possible...in a big reset. Nafis - accompanies the reader in understanding the consequences of man's presumption and greed.
ABOUT THE BOOK From pandemic to normality In this book by Author Alessandro Niccoli, read about the great revolution of a 13-year old boy, Nafis. Skinny, has green eyes and his hair is dishevelled. He lives in a big city in Southern Europe. It’s the 21st century at the beginning of a worldwide pandemic and the fourth technological revolution that marks a point of no return. Poor lifestyles, senseless consumption of goods misunderstood as happiness, pollution and destruction cause Nafis to have a serious existential crisis. In this context, the boy experiences the rebellion of nature, which is the true protagonist of the book, in a whirlwind of emotions. One day, in a park in his smoky city, a ray of light strikes across his eyes and changes their colour. From that moment onwards, Nafis decides to change his life; nothing will be the same again. He returns to live in the woods in a continuous adventure with faithful human and animal friends, where they walk together listening to prosperous past and present lives, in the symphony of nature. Nafis explores his dreams, imagination, friendships and feelings, and gradually finds the strength that he had lost; he rediscovers the incredible abilities of the mind thanks to the energy he derives from his landscapes, which are masterfully illustrated. Thanks to practicing ancient disciplines in nature, like a warrior, Nafis wages a peaceful war with words as powerful as swords, to awaken ideas, emotions and the masses, rediscovering a wonderful world that needs to be defended, towards a new era.
THE AUTHOR Alessandro Niccoli was born in San Miniato on 2.1.1968. His interest in the commons prompted him to become a lawyer. He led political opposition in his city, to preserve the environment from over- building projects, from the spread of herbicides and poisons from local industry. In 2013 he participated in a literary competition with the short story: "Walking, your spirit dreamed", published in the book "Tales of the Via Francigena", ed. Del Bucchia. In 2019 it was released in bookstores with “L'odore delle Rose” published by Europa Edizioni.
BOOK REVIEWS After reading the novel in Italian, my mother tongue, and in Spanish, I decided to read it also in English to be able to better appreciate it since I liked it. The notes on the most unusual terms that explain their meaning are very welcome, as they allow to enrich the reader's lexicon. As for the plot that I find original and the narrative style, the author has given his best. It is a book suitable for all age groups. There is little to change, I hope to read it in some other language too. - Luigi Ammirati. This is an amazing story about a young boy that lives in modern days with the pandemic situation; everything was realistic and incredibly near to us, everything changed and we can change ourselves and our goal as Nafis. beautiful and inspirational story. - Roberta Giammarino.
Q: What was your first thought when you started writing and when? What literary pilgrimages have you gone on? For me, writing is a voyage across time and space, where the human being may find freedom, adventure, fulfillment, and joy. I didn't get good marks in school as a teenager. I would rather spend my days outside in nature. On the other hand, the teacher of Italian literature told my mother: "Alessandro will become a writer." My literary journeys have taken me from Hermann Hesse to Oriana Fallaci, through Paulo Cohelo and Tiziano Terzani. Q: What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry? To deceive aspiring authors with false promises of publication, extorting significant sums of money for works that will never be properly published and marketed, with the sole intention of taking advantage of them. Q: Does writing energize or exhaust you? Both. If there is inspiration at the beginning, the energy is enormous and drives me to write and write. The breaks are then used to take care of basic needs and go for a few runs in the woods to let off steam before starting again. However, at the end of the manuscript, due to the endless rereadings with the editor, I must admit that I was on the verge of a psychological breakdown. Q: What are common traps for aspiring writers? Instead of thinking about the outcome, writing should be a disinterested act of passion, an aesthetic endeavor inspired by profound listening to oneself. Then, using our capacity to convert ideas into feelings, we may enrich them with puns and amazing settings where the reader can dive in. Q: Does a big ego help or hurt writers? I believe that ego is a major flaw cultivated by human society to prevail over others, nature, and the animal world. Storytelling, whatever the theme it deals with, must always originate from inspiration. In my opinion, the presence of a strong ego is very limiting. Q: What is your writing Kryptonite? It is clear to me how detrimental it is to write without inspiration. It won’t bring a good experience to the reader and risks producing useless works. Q: Have you ever experienced writer's block? Yes, it's physiological. You just have to go out, breathe, run, live, laugh, and get over it. Q: Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym? No, although I did it once. I wrote a strong pamphlet on conformism. I used the yuyuyuyuyu pseudonym as a shield, but now that I am older, I have no reservations about publishing anything under my own name. I don't see the meaning of using a stage name, but I have nothing to say if someone wants to do it. Q: Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want? I write primarily for myself because writing gives me energy and nourishes my fantasies. It is only after that, that my focus shifts to the readers because of my desire to shake them, to make them discover new feelings, experiences, and possibilities. Q: Can someone be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly? From what I said above, the answer comes by itself. Emotions, in my opinion, are the foundation of life and creativity. My emotions don't have to be extremely strong if they are compelling enough to give me the impulse to start a journey. Q: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? The unexpected publication of my first book, by an Italian (and international) publishing house called Europa Edizioni, gave me great satisfaction, but it didn't push me to write more. The desire to write new stories was born on its own, based on strong inspirations. The first publication, if anything, may have given me more confidence. Q: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book? The idea of a book comes from intuition. After that, to feed my initial insight, I place my attention only on the coincidences, anecdotes, readings, emotions, and experiences of daily life. Next comes the vision of a character’s actions and psychology. It is then that intuition and previous reflections take shape but only by letting go and completely freeing oneself in a sort of meditation, liberation, and rebirth, that the book comes to be. Q: Do you have any upcoming books? What is it about? I'm working on my third book: Danit, the story of a rebellious girl who runs away from home with a thoroughbred horse she frees from captivity. Danit will have many adventures in the forests with her horse and the other companions she meets. Q: How do you feel about your book being listed by DE MODE? I am pleased and flattered by DE MODE's interest in my work. A coincidence? I don't believe in coincidences ... when a meeting takes place, there is always a reason. Certain synchronicities should never be ignored. And if Carl Gustav Jung says so, we should reflect.