"Manca la mano manca" arrives in Oristano, the city where the very idea for the novel was born. It is here, in this city that still carries the breath of the Giudicato d'Arborea in its air, that on Thursday, April 9th, at 6:00 pm, the Cultural Services Center will host the presentation of the book, published by Sandhi Edizioni in 2025, written by Marcello Atzeni and Antonio Masala , both members of the Union. Patrizia Mocci will be in conversation with the authors.
At the center of the short novel, or, if you prefer, a long story, as the authors themselves like to call it, is the sui generis judge Giò Maria Carboni. He and his colleagues do not apply the laws of the Italian state. They consider themselves descendants of Eleonora d'Arborea and, as such, believe it is more just that those convicted serve their sentences according to the Carta De Logu, the code of laws dating back to the late 14th century. Carboni and his colleagues, in short, practice their profession as if they lived in the Giudicato d'Arborea. A conscious, provocative anachronism that becomes the narrative engine of the story.
The partnership between Atzeni and Masala is that of two professionals who know the craft of words well. Marcello Atzeni, a Rai author, contributor to the Unione Sarda, and a cultural activist, thrives on aphorisms, short stories, and stories about cinema and sports. "Manca la mano manca" is his seventh book. Antonio Masala has a dual career behind him: first as a bank manager, then as a full-time professional journalist. This is his debut novel.
The meeting will be held at the Cultural Services Center, a key hub for the city's cultural life. "This presentation also fits into the Center's chosen direction," emphasizes UNLA Director Marcello Marras, "aimed at focusing on works inspired by the history, culture, and society of our land." A novel that uses the past, the Carta De Logu and the Giudicato, to narrate something universal: the sense of justice, the relationship with rules, and the identity of a people. The event is open to all. Admission is free.
