Marcello Fois and his special bond with Sardinia

A journey through culture, roots and literature

Born in Nuoro, Sardinia, Marcello Fois now lives and works in Bologna. His literary journey includes a remarkable body of work, among which are Picta (winner of the Calvino Prize, 1992), In Sardegna non c’è il mare (2012), Nel tempo di mezzo (shortlisted for both the Campiello and Strega prizes in 2012), the poetry collection L’infinito non finire (2018). For several years, Fois has also served on the jury for the Costa Smeralda Prize.

Can you share an anecdote that sums up your relationship with your homeland?

Every time I arrive back home in Sardinia, the very first question people ask is: “When are you leaving again?” At first, I took it the wrong way – as if they couldn’t wait to get rid of me. But over time, I realised that question actually holds a quiet anxiety about my imminent departure. It reflects the pain of separation, something that defines us islanders more than we might care to admit.

Sardinia appears often in your novels...

Nobody ever wonders why Hugo wrote about Paris or Dostoyevsky about Saint Petersburg. I’m Sardinian, from Nuoro - If I want to be authentic, I have to start in my own backyard.

Did your calling for writing first emerge in Sardinia?

I was eleven when I wrote my first “novel”. It was titled L’Evasione, and it filled one whole side of a sheet of lined protocol paper. Almost as long as Recherce. And yes, I was in Nuoro at the time.

Is there a particular place on the island that moves you more than any other?

There’s a stretch of valley that begins in Marreri, winds through the Lula crossroads, and continues towards Galtellì and then Orosei. It’s a flawless place that never fails to move me – visually, yes, but even its scents stay with me.

What would you recommend a friend to visit in Sardinia?

In that order: Cala Liberotto, Aggius, and the MAN. Cala Liberotto is part of the Orosei coastline, nestled between Capo Comino and Cala Gonone. It offers tiny coves, long beaches, rocky inlets, and pristine sea. Aggius, to me, is the most beautiful village in Sardinia – a painterly place with a certain Cubist, severe, linear charm. Of course, there are other lovely towns, like Gavoi or Santulussurgiu, but Aggius remains my favourite. And the MAN – Nuoro’s Museum of Contemporary Art – Isn’t just a local or national treasure. It’s a key observatory for contemporary creativity in a place that often feels more remote than it actually is.

Any recommended reading on Sardinia?

Miele Amaro by Salvatore Cambosu; Il giorno del giudizio by Salvatore Satta; and Procedura by Salvatore Mannuzzu. I’d also add Marianna Sirca by Grazia Deledda, Arcipelaghi by Maria Giacobbe, and Eleonora d’Arborea by Bianca Pitzorno.