From Salento, a story to reflect on and move you , in a context deeply linked to Sardinia, between references to the Olbia flood and the protagonist's "fascination with the thought of Joyce Lussu" during the 1968 riots in Lecce.
Giuseppe Cristaldi returns to bookstores with "Annamé, the Mother of Wells" (Besa Muci 2025) , a powerful work that opens a profound and necessary debate on violence against women, an increasingly pressing social issue. After a series of previews, the book will be officially launched on Tuesday, November 25—International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women—at 6:30 pm in the historic Palazzo Baroniale in Sorso.
The narrative stands out for its unexpected and disenchanted presentation of the response to abuse. Cristaldi introduces a provocative element that invites reflection: the idea that, in the moment of rebellion, "that same violence can be immediately repelled only through an equally violent response."
Anna, daughter of sin, is the story of a tough peasant girl born in the darkness of a cellar, amidst hardship and a sense of repulsion from a world that perhaps didn't want her birth. As soon as she enters the world, a syllable is added to her name, a typical expression in the Salento dialect: "Anna mena" means "hurry up, do it quickly," but also "get out of the way, don't get in the way." The girl unearths the truths she deserves, digging deep wells that at times swallow her up, at other times spit her out with unspeakable violence.
The plot also unfolds through symbolic characters such as the blacksmith with the Sardinian name, Nanneddu, one of the positive figures in the story, and then the inexplicable coincidences that often accompany us throughout our lives . The author's story is already curious and unusual in itself.
Known for his numerous publishing successes, particularly Macelleria Equitalia, he chose to move to Sardinia, where he lives and works. Cristaldi has gone from a young electrician to an established writer, making his mark on the publishing scene with "La versione di C.," a biography of Cristiano De André (reprinted three times and presented at the Turin Book Fair). He already generated controversy with his first novel, "Storia di un metronomo capovolto" (about the Bologna massacre), a volume enhanced by a preface by Franco Battiato. His particular sensitivity to the most vulnerable grew through his work as a receptionist at a retirement home caring for people with dementia and Alzheimer's. Other works include "Un rumore di gabbiani - Orazione per i martiri dei petrochimici," "Drammaturgia degli Invissuti," and "Attenti al cane."
