The Sea-God's Herb: Essays at Reading & Culture

John Domini's first book of non-fiction, a collection of essays and reviews, has been accepted by Red Hen Press. Sea-God's Herb will feature both new essays and selected older pieces, including work from the New York Times, New Republic, and The Believer. Topics are mostly literary, but some essays consider the visual arts or rock'n'roll. The book will appear in 2009.

A Tomb on the Periphery

A new novel, now out and sharing the same troubled Neapolitan setting as Earthquake I.D. Part crime story, part ghost story, part coming of age, part redemption song, and more, all having to do with Italy's underground market in ancient jewelry. The publisher is Gival Press, who selected the manuscript as runner-up for their national award. The Emerging Writers Network listed A Tomb on the Periphery as one of the books they're "looking forward to in '08." The Midwest Book Review called it "fast paced... from first to last. A must for fans... and for libraries."

Arrangements for Italian publication in '09 are underway with Tullio Pironti Editore, the first Italian house to translate Don DeLillo.

Books & Rough Business

In fall '08, Red Hen Press will bring out John Domini's translation of Tullio Pironti's memoir, Books & Rough Business. An autobiography and social portrait, in Italy the book received over 100 reviews. Plans are in place for a movie adaptation.

Earthquake I.D.

The first novel in John Domini's new Naples sequence, Earthquake I.D. appeared in spring '07 and has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Richard Ford, an earlier Pulitzer winner, called it "a wonderful novel of an old-fashioned sort...a rich feast." Steve Erickson, author of Zeroville, called Domini "a writer of the world, with a deft talent for negotiating the currents of our age."

The Emerging Writers Network, in a four-star review, called it "a great, jam-packed novel." Bostonia praised how "surprises abound in the political intrigue." Artscene Iowa described it as "extraordinary... tightly woven," and added "Domini has a knack for creating striking moments... and finds a route toward the essential nature of families." Thomas Burke had a long, insightful, and complimentary review in The Literary Review.

Italian publication will come in fall of '08 with Tullio Pironti Editore. The title will be Carta Nera del Terramoto, and the translation by Stefano Manferlotti.

Talking Heads: 77

John Domini has brilliantly turned one of literary fiction’s neatest tricks: he has vividly and accurately evoked a past time and milieu—the alternative cultural scene of the mid-70s... More

Highway Trade

Streetwise and pain-acquainted, John Domini’s new story-collection is a good rich read indeed...More

Bedlam

These stories, set in a wide variety of real and unreal locales, arouse more faraway yearnings...More