Love and Loss in Wartime – Mario Fortunato’s ‘The Innocent Days of War’

‘The Innocent Days of War’ is a haunting portrait of WWII lives. Photo: Other Press

Book Spotlight: The Innocent Days of War by Mario Fortunato

Fans of John Boyne and Simon Mawer will find much to admire in Mario Fortunato’s latest novel, The Innocent Days of War (On Sale: October 28, 2025). This gripping coming-of-age story unfolds against the sweeping backdrop of World War II, tracing how love, ambition, and destiny intertwine as Italy and England are forever changed by the war. (Other Press, 2025)

A Story of Youth, War, and Intersecting Lives

Set in central Italy on the eve of World War II, the novel introduces a group of young Italians whose lives are about to be upended by history. Among them is Stefano Portelli, a hopeful young lawyer filled with idealism and in love with Eleonora. His sister-in-law Nina hides a secret relationship with Sergio, a partisan leader fighting for his cause.

Meanwhile, across the Channel, the story follows Alastair Ormiston, an English Royal Air Force pilot who finds solace in the works of Virginia Woolf as he dreams of an ideal companion. His best friend, Edna, seeks her own sense of purpose and joy amid the devastation of Nazi bombings in London.

When these characters’ paths intersect, the result is both tragic and transformative—a convergence of love, loss, and fate that consumes everything in its wake, blending joy and pain into a single, unforgettable tapestry.

About the Author

Mario Fortunato was born in Cirò, Calabria, Italy. A longtime literary critic for L’Espresso, he continues to write for Süddeutsche Zeitung and has contributed to The Guardian and Le Monde. Fortunato is a former director of the Antonio Ratti Foundation and the author of several novels, including South (Other Press, 2023). He has also translated the works of literary greats such as Evelyn Waugh, Virginia Woolf, and Henry James into Italian.

About the Translator

Julia MacGibbon has translated fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, including Sunken City by Marta Barone. She lives near Rome.


Praise for Mario Fortunato:

“As I read Fortunato’s writing, I have the impression of being faced with that kind of writer, rare in Italian literature, who, despite starting from a poetic state of mind, nevertheless manages to be a storyteller.”
—Alberto Moravia

“Mario Fortunato is a natural storyteller.”
—Doris Lessing

Truth, Lies, and the Deep Blue Hour: A Gripping Psychological Thriller by Peter Stamm

‘In a Deep Blue Hour: A Novel’ is the new novel by Peter Stamm. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Psychological thrillers are some of my favorite books. They go into the inner workings of characters’ minds, exploring their thoughts, emotions, and motivations. This genre often blurs the line between reality and perception, creating complex, unpredictable narratives that challenge readers’ understanding of truth. The appeal lies in the deep emotional engagement it fosters, inviting readers to confront their own psychological experiences and question the nature of identity, memory, and consciousness. By emphasizing internal conflict, psychological thrillers offer a more intimate, introspective experience compared to traditional plot-driven stories. This immersive exploration of the human psyche resonates with readers seeking to understand themselves and the complexities of human behavior.

From Other Press, the latest addition to acclaimed Swiss author Peter Stamm’s impressive body of work, “In a Deep Blue Hour: A Novel” will be released on March 18, 2025. It is available for pre-order. (Other Press, 2024)

“In a Deep Blue Hour: A Novel” – A documentary filmmaker uncovers the secrets of an enigmatic author in this subtly enthralling novel from “one of Europe’s most exciting writers” – (New York Times Book Review).

For days, documentary filmmaker Andrea and her team have been waiting for Richard Wechsler in his Swiss hometown. During their first shoots in Paris, the famous writer had not wanted to reveal much about himself, and now the whole film threatens to fail.

In the narrow streets and alleys of the village, Andrea searches for traces of Wechsler’s life, contrary to their agreement. But it is not until she starts reading his books again that she discovers a clue to a childhood sweetheart who might still be living there. An old love who influenced his whole life, but whom no one ever knew about.

Written with Stamm’s trademark subtlety and devastating precision, “In a Deep Blue Hour: A Novel” is a captivating work of psychological fiction perfect for lovers of Jon Fosse’s “Septology,” Jenny Erpenbeck’s “Kairos,” and Stamm’s previous work. In this elusive novel, Stamm explores the meeting point between reality and fiction. I hope to stay in touch with you about possibilities for it.

Peter Stamm is the author of the novels “The Archive of Feelings,” “The Sweet Indifference of the World,” “To the Back of Beyond,” “All Days Are Night,” “Seven Years,” “On a Day Like This,” “Unformed Landscape,” and “Agnes,” and the short-story collections “It’s Getting Dark,” “We’re Flying,” and “In Strange Gardens and Other Stories.” His award-winning books have been translated into more than forty languages. For his entire body of work and his accomplishments in fiction, he was short-listed for the Man Booker International Prize in 2013, and in 2014 he won the prestigious Friedrich Hölderlin Prize. He lives in Switzerland.

About the Translator: Michael Hofmann has translated the work of Gottfried Benn, Hans Fallada, Franz Kafka, Joseph Roth, and many others. In 2012 he was awarded the Thornton Wilder Prize for Translation by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His “One Lark, One Horse: Poems” was published in 2019, “Where Have You Been? Selected Essays” in 2014, and “Selected Poems” in 2009. He lives in Florida and London.

“In a Deep Blue Hour: A Novel” by Peter Stamm • Translated by Michael Hofmann
Other Press Trade Paperback Original
On-Sale Date: March 18, 2025 • Price: $17.99

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Forthcoming new book release: ‘Finding My Rainbow’ by Josh Coleman

‘Finding My Rainbow’ will be released June 12, 2024. Photo: Amazon

An exciting milestone in the world of literature and LGBTQ+ advocacy comes with the announcement that “Finding My Rainbow: A Journey of Courage, Acceptance, and Pride,” the highly anticipated children’s book by Josh Coleman, is now available for pre-order. (Iron City Communications, 2024)

Josh Coleman is a distinguished advocate for social justice and LGBTQ+ rights, serving as the Deputy Director of the Division of Social Justice and Racial Equity in Birmingham’s Mayor’s Office. His pioneering role as the city’s first LGBTQ+ Liaison and leadership in Central Alabama Pride highlight his commitment to inclusivity. His academic pursuits in political science and public administration further underscore his dedication to public service and community engagement. His new book, “Finding My Rainbow: A Journey of Courage, Acceptance, and Pride” is a story of finding oneself, fighting for acceptance, and the power of love. It will be released on June 12, 2024. (Iron City Communications, 2024)

In “Finding My Rainbow,” readers are invited into the world of Josh, a young boy from Alabama, navigating the challenges of growing up gay in a community not fully prepared for his truth. This story of self-discovery, bravery, and the quest for acceptance is poised to become a beacon of hope and understanding for children and adults alike.

It’s a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the beauty of being true to oneself. This book is not just for those who identify with Josh’s journey but for anyone who believes in the transformative power of love and acceptance. Join Josh on his colorful journey, and be inspired to find and spread your own light.

Through Josh’s eyes, readers are invited into a deeply personal narrative that explores themes of identity, belonging, and the power of unconditional love. “Finding My Rainbow” is not just Josh’s story-it’s a call to action for understanding, empathy, and support for LGBTQ+ youth navigating their own paths to acceptance. This book aims to inspire readers of all ages with its message of hope, reminding us that we all deserve to live our truth and find our rainbow. Suitable for readers aged 8 to 13, this story touches hearts and minds, encouraging a more inclusive and accepting world. (Amazon, 2024)

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New book release: ‘Good Night, Irene’ by Luis Alberto Urrea

‘Good Night, Irene’ is the new novel by Luis Alberto Urrea. Photo: Amazon

Luis Alberto Urrea, a 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for nonfiction and member of the Latino Literature Hall of Fame, is a prolific and acclaimed writer who uses his dual-culture life experiences to explore greater themes of love, loss, and triumph. Winner of a Lannan Literary Award and Christopher Award, he is also the recipient of an American Book Award, the Kiriyama Prize, the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Literary Award, a Western States Book Award, a Colorado Book Award, an Edgar Award, and a citation of excellence from the American Library Association. A professor of creative writing at the University of Illinois – Chicago, he is a member of the Latino Literary Hall of Fame and has won numerous awards for his poetry, fiction, and essays. His new book “Good Night, Irene” asks the question: what if a friendship forged on the front lines of war defines a life forever?” It is an epic based on the magnificent and true story of courageous Red Cross women. (Amazon, 2023)

“Good Night, Irene” – In 1943, Irene Woodward abandons an abusive fiancé in New York to enlist with the Red Cross and head to Europe. She makes fast friends in training with Dorothy Dunford, a towering Midwesterner with a ferocious wit. Together they are part of an elite group of women, nicknamed Donut Dollies, who command military vehicles called Clubmobiles at the front line, providing camaraderie and a taste of home that may be the only solace before troops head into battle.

After D-Day, these two intrepid friends join the Allied soldiers streaming into France. Their time in Europe will see them embroiled in danger, from the Battle of the Bulge to the liberation of Buchenwald. Through her friendship with Dorothy and a love affair with a courageous American fighter pilot named Hans, Irene learns to trust again. Her most fervent hope, which becomes more precarious by the day, is for all three of them to survive the war intact. Taking as inspiration his mother’s own Red Cross service, Luis Alberto Urrea has delivered an overlooked story of women’s heroism in World War II.

New children’s book release: ‘Felix and Eagle Imagine’ by Willie Thomas

‘Felix and Eagle Imagine’ is the new children’s book out by Willie Thomas. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Willie Thomas is an American author born in Birmingham, AL and currently resides in North Carolina. Storytelling and writing books have always been his passion and goal. By the time he reaches the century mark, he would like to have well over a hundred different books out, each with its own unique voice and tale. “Felix and Eagle Imagine” and “Rodowell Sky: Miracles Come to Life” are the first of these books. Follow Willie Thomas on his journey as he makes what he has imagined come to life. (Willie Thomas, 2023)

“Felix and Eagle Imagine”

His goal is not to be a knight. His goal is not to fly a kite. In his bones Felix feels he just might become a great superhero on this night.

Felix is a young boy seeking to become a great superhero. Eagle, his cat, wishes for the ability of flight. After drifting off to sleep, they embark on a shared dream where they Imagine wondrous things only found in ones imagination.

Author Willie Thomas. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

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Upcoming new book release: ‘Later’ by Stephen King

‘Later’ is Stephen King’s new book, set for release on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Photo: amazon

Stephen King is the author of dozens of bestselling books including “The Shining,” “The Stand,” and “The Green Mile.” Film adaptations of his work include “Misery” and “Stand By Me”. In 2003, King received the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and in 2007 he was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America. This month he is back with a brand new novel about the secrets we keep buried and the cost of unearthing them. “Later” is set for release on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. (amazon, 2021)

In “Later,” the son of a struggling single mother, Jamie Conklin just wants an ordinary childhood. But Jamie is no ordinary child. Born with an unnatural ability his mom urges him to keep secret, Jamie can see what no one else can see and learn what no one else can learn. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine – as he discovers when an NYPD detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave. “Later” is Stephen King at his finest, a terrifying and touching story of innocence lost and the trials that test our sense of right and wrong. With echoes of King’s classic novel “It,” “Later” is a powerful, haunting, unforgettable exploration of what it takes to stand up to evil in all the faces it wears.

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Upcoming release: ‘The Retirement Mirage’ by Nancy Hite

‘The Retirement Mirage’ by Nancy Hite will be out February 16, 2021. Photo: amazon

Nancy Hite is a certified financial planner, trustee, and author. She is also founder of The Strategic Wealth Advisor ® LLC, located in Boca Raton, Florida. She offers financial advice and workable options to help her clients prepare for and enjoy the current and future chapters of their lives by focusing on their personal goals. In her upcoming book, “The Retirement Mirage: Time to Think Differently,” which will be released on February 16, 2021, she reveals what experts do not tell people about their financial planning. It is available for pre-order on Amazon. (Black Château, 2021)

“The Retirement Mirage: Time to Think Differently” combines Nancy’s years of financial experience with real-life examples to help readers assess their financial situation and give them the tools to plan for the realities of their financial future. Because people are living longer, technology is advancing quickly, and the world is changing due to climate change, COVID-19, and other factors, ideas about retirement savings are becoming antiquated. The book is an optimistic and practical look at the future and how people can prepare.

Driven by her fiduciary duty towards her clients and a desire to help others, Nancy Hite gives actionable advice in her book. She explores education and how children should have a strong financial foundation. She delves into unsteady markets and how they can impact investments. Plus, readers will discover why her mott: Spend it now, spend it later, or spend it never® makes sense today more than ever.

“So many people are still buying into the retirement mirage, the idea that once they stop working, they will have a perfect life. I’m here to show them that the world is changing, and they need to shatter those old ideas in order to adapt. There is so much hope and opportunity if we are willing to think differently, and that’s what people will find in my book.” – Nancy Hite

Upcoming release: ‘The Commander’ by Kevin Groh

The US version of ‘The Commander’ by Kevin Groh releases on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Photo: amazon

Kevin Groh is an author born and raised in Hesse, Germany who has been imagining stories and other worlds since early childhood. He visited the United States often and fell in love with the openness of Americans and the non-judgmental environment that accepted him for who he was — a gamer and a nerd. Passionate about the English language, Kevin mastered it by reading, watching movies, playing video games, and traveling. He holds a bachelor’s degree as an industrial engineer with a focus on electrical engineering but by his early 20s, became a sensation in the German sci-fi market with his highly imaginative stories. His Omni Legends book series includes the best-selling subseries, “The Commander,” “The Black Wanderer,” and “The Shadow Guard.” Kevin was an Amazon Kindle Select All-Star in sales every month from August to December in 2019. The young author is now ready to entertain a US readership looking for its next page-turner as the first book in the series, “The Commander” is releasing in the United States on January 5, 2021.  It is young adult fiction for young men and sci-fi lovers filled with adventure, suspense, and action and now available for pre-order on Amazon. (Black Château, 2020)

“The Commander – Guardian of Utopia” is the first book in the US version of the epic New Adult military sci-fi fantasy Omni Legends series. Welcome to Utopia-humanity’s second home for over two centuries. It is a world controlled by the military and corporations, waging war with advanced alien races, but 18-year-old Carter Sanders is about to change the rules of the game. Freshly recruited into boot camp, he needs all his brains and ability to survive skirmishes and develop allies among his fellow-recruits who resent his privilege. Training exercises in weaponry, close-quarter combat, strategy and tactics, and missions test his bravery, while female recruits test his moral fiber in close situations. When bionic upgrades for soldiers become mandatory, Carter feels he needs to take a stand. Can he and his mismatched fellow-recruits get their message about preserving morale through to the top brass? Will they survive sadistic drill sergeant Banes before they are sent off to battle giant, scaled Lorgans on unknown worlds?

New release: ‘Ready Player Two’ by Ernest Cline

‘Ready Player Two’ by Ernest Cline is now available everywhere books are sold. Photo: amazon

Ernest Cline is an internationally best-selling science fiction novelist, screenwriter, and poet. He is the author of the novels “Ready Player One” and “Armada” and co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of “Ready Player One,” directed by Steven Spielberg. His books have been published in over fifty countries and have spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list. His new novel, “Ready Player Two,” the highly anticipated sequel to the worldwide bestseller “Ready Player One,” is out today, Tuesday, November 24, 2020. It takes readers on another imaginative, fun, action-packed adventure through Ernest Cline’s beloved virtual universe, and jolts them thrillingly into the future once again.

In “Ready Player Two,” days after winning OASIS founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday’s vaults, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS a thousand times more wondrous, and addictive, than even Wade dreamed possible. With it comes a new riddle, and a new quest—a last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize. And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who will kill millions to get what he wants. Wade’s life and the future of the OASIS are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.

New release: ‘Invisible Girl: A Novel’ by Lisa Jewell

‘Invisible Girl: A Novel’ is Lisa Jewell’s new novel. Photo: amazon

Lisa Jewell is a British author of eighteen novels including “The Family Upstairs,” “Then She Was Gone” and “Watching You.” Her novels have sold more than 4.5 million copies internationally and her work has also been translated into twenty-five languages. She is one of the most popular authors writing in the UK today and in 2008 she was awarded the Melissa Nathan Award For Comedy Romance for her novel “31 Dream Street.” Her new book, “Invisible Girl: A Novel,” an obscure thriller about a young woman’s disappearance and a group of strangers whose lives intersect in its wake, was just released this week.

According to amazon, in “Invisible Girl,” Owen Pick’s life is falling apart. In his thirties and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct—accusations he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel forums, where he meets a charismatic and mysterious figure. The Fours family lives across the street. Headed by mom Cate, a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist, they have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He is a bit creepy and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night. Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection with him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then, on Valentine’s night, Saffyre disappears and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick.