Biafra

Here is the second novel by Emanuele Cagni published by Prospettiva editrice, titled Biafra. The true protagonist of the book is not just the author, but hunger—of which Biafra represents, in the writer’s imagination, the ultimate rhetorical expression. Why this specific title? The explanation is simple: Cagni was deeply struck by the public service announcements he saw as a child, which appealed for help for the emaciated children of Biafra affected by war and famine. In the novel, however, “hunger” is not meant as a mere appetite, but as a genuine drive for life. The author addresses it through three key figures: himself, his father, and his lab with an insatiable stomach. As in his previous novel, the stories unfold between the peaks of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Po Valley, moving fearlessly from comedy to tragedy. These are diverse events, yet all bound by a single underlying thread: the absolute truthfulness of the accounts. Enjoy the read!