There Was a Time for Such a Word: A Novel

by Gianni Solla, Richard Dixon (Translator)

Overview

For fans of The Reader and inspired by historical events, a poignant and hopeful novel in which a young, illiterate herdsman in 1940s Italy learns to read with the help of his two friends— rewriting his destiny in the process

September 1942. Young Davide is no stranger to hunger or cruelty. Uneducated but curious, he endures a life of quiet hardship caring for his father’s pigs with only the fiery Teresa for a friend. That is, until a group of Jewish families are relocated to their small Italian town. Among them is the mysterious Nicolas, who sparks within Davide a desire for knowledge and deep connection.

When Nicolas’ father sets up an underground school, Davide begins to attend classes and, as he learns to read, words begin to reshape his world. As Davide, Teresa, and Nicolas grow closer, they find themselves navigating the perilous and emotional terrain of adolescence. But when Davide’s choices lead to betrayal and guilt, he is forced to flee the village, leaving his friends behind.

In Naples, amid bombed-out rubble, back-alley theaters, and fleeting moments of human kindness, Davide will eventually reclaim his voice through the power of storytelling as a performer. Each word penned carries the weight of his struggle, and every performance strikes back at the cruelty of his world. Resolving at last to find his lost friends, Davide sets off in search of redemption. Rich with history, heartbreak, and the fragile glow of resilience, There Was a Time for Such a Word captures the transformative power of words and the strength needed to rewrite one's own destiny.

Translated from the Italian by Richard Dixon

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063336162
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/11/2025
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

A native of Naples, Gianni Solla has published short stories in international anthologies and literary magazines and collaborated with Il Napoli from 2006 to 2010. His monologue "Tooth Dust" is performed in the theater. He is the author of the novels Airbag, The Shark’s Sniff, and Mother Storm. There Was a Time for Such a Word is his first work to be published in English.

Editorial Reviews

A moving book that affirms that, despite everything, we can grow even when everything around us conspires to prevent it. The wounds that remain open force us to return to our origins. These returns are painful, but necessary to close the circle between the present and the past, to measure the distance between what we were and what we have achieved through effort.” — La Stampa

“With There Was a Time for Such a Word, Gianni Solla has written a very subtle, quiet story about friendships forged in times of inhumanity.” — Nürnberger Nachrichten

“This novel shows that you can escape from a place, and perhaps from yourself, but sooner or later life asks you to return, giving you back so much beauty!” —  L’Osservatore Romano

“A story about those first times in everyone's life.” — Mangialibri

“An impressive book.” — Westfälische Rundschau

From the Publisher