Antonio Franchini (Naples, 1958) lives and works in Milan. He has been editorial director of fiction, non-fiction and light non-fiction for the publishing house Giunti, after having worked for a long period as an editor of Italian fiction for Arnoldo Mondadori Editore. He made his debut as a writer with Camerati. Quattro novelle sul diventare grandi, which won the Premio Massarosa and, in 1992, the Premio Bagutta opera prima. He later alternated his time between writing novels edited by Marsilio and creating anthologies on literary imaginaries (Racconti erotici dell'800, Mompracem!) and to writing about combat sport and martial arts, one of which (Gladiatori) has been republished in 2016 by Saggiatore. In 2003, with the novel Cronaca di una fine, he was awarded the Premio Mondello.

(photo: © Giliola Chistè)