Francesca Melandri was born in Rome, Italy in 1964. After a long and successful screenwriting career her literary debut was in 2010 with Eva Sleeps, a critically acclaimed bestseller translated in most European languages and now published in English by Europa editions. Her second novel Higher Than the Sea confirmed her standing among readers and literary critics. Both novels have been awarded several prizes in Italy and Europe. She is also a documentary film maker and has two children. Francesca Melandri’s appearance is made possible by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Toronto.

Eva Sleeps

Out of the conflicts in the border regions of Northern Italy comes a sweeping family epic that embodies the history of nations. Eva, a forty-year-old public relations professional, receives an unexpected message from southern Italy. Vito, one of her mother’s lovers and the closest thing to a father she has ever known, is dying and would like to see her one last time. Her journey to him evokes memories of her childhood, of the rich history of her region’s struggle for independence and of Gerda, her mother — a beautiful, sensuous woman with a gift for love and for creating sumptuous dishes.