Audiobooks by Francesco Dimitri

A bittersweet gothic fantasy of family, friendship, memory, and the uncanny told from the perspective of a blind teenager in Puglia, Southern Italy, set in the same world as The Book of Hidden Things, perfect for readers of Neil Gaiman, Donna Tartt and Haruki Murakami. Praise God, never the wind 1996 - Luca Saracino is thirteen and has been completely blind for eight months when his parents move to a Southern Italian farmhouse they dream of turning into a hotel. With his brother dropping out of university and the family reeling from Luca's diagnosis, they are chasing dreams of rebirth and reinvention. As Luca tells his story without sight - experiencing the world solely through hearing, smell, taste and touch - he meets the dauntless Ada Guadalupi, who takes him out to explore the rocky fields and empty beaches. But Luca and Ada find they can't escape the grudges that have lasted between their families for generations, or the gossiping of the town. And Luca is preyed upon by the feral Wanderer, who walks the vineyards of his home. As Luca's family starts to crack at the seams, Luca and Ada have to navigate new lands and old rivalries to uncover the truths spoken as whispers on the wind.

Francesco Dimitri (Author), Ben Allen (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Book of Hidden Things

From 'one of the most significant figures of the last generation of fantasy' comes Francesco Dimitri's debut novel in English, an enthralling and seductive fantasy following four old friends and the secrets they keep. Four friends have a pact: to meet up on the same day every year in their small hometown in southern Italy. Art, the charismatic leader of the group, has always been adamant about the pact. But this year, he doesn't show up. Searching for him, the friends make a worrying discovery: Art has been farming marijuana, a very dangerous activity in mafia-controlled country. Asking around in town, they hear bizarre and incredible rumours that Art cured a young girl of leukemia. And then, amongst the chaos of his house, they find a curious manuscript written by Art called The Book of Hidden Things, which promises to reveal secrets enchanting as flames, and just as treacherous... 'An affecting fable of friendship, magic and nostalgia.' The Guardian 'In lesser hands, this blend of detective story, organized crime thriller, and supernatural investigation would feel like a grab bag of plot devices, but Dimitri has created a thrilling spectacle that also manages to point poignantly at the way the landscapes we grow up in shape us in ways even beyond our understanding. A deeply felt look at the idea of home, clothed as a popcornworthy page-turner.' - Kirkus Reviews 'An evocative meditation on friendship, adulthood, and the liminal spaces that lie just outside human perception...Dimitri's beautifully written tale, steeped in nostalgia, folklore, and religion, will enthrall and terrify readers.' -Publishers Weekly 'A mystifying exploration of unbelief and faith, Francesco Dimitri's The Book of Hidden Things dazzles with portraits of men at a crossroads... Skillfully touches on the deepest vulnerabilities in characters who evolve into sharper versions of themselves...Challenges the limits of rationality. Here, mysteries aren't riddles to solve, but answers that lie within reach.' --Foreword Reviews 'Beautifully written, Dimitri has produced an enlightening and thrilling story that succeeds at every turn. His insightful observations of how our early memories and interpersonal relationships help shape our adult lives is remarkably poignant. The Book of Hidden Things is an absorbing story that defines how we look at home. It s a story filled with twists and turns that will most certainly entertain, terrify, and captivate readers.' --New York Journal of Books 'The Book of Hidden Things shows us that memories are stories that refuse to belong only to the past. Such stories can create places that are both wonderful and dangerous; whether we believe in them or not is up to us.' - Aliya Whiteley, author of The Beauty 'What a glorious read! This sun-drenched fantasy is a feast for the senses, reflecting on the value of friendship and what it means to finally grow up. If you loved the Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane, this book is for you.' - Helen Marshall, author of Gifts for the One Who Comes After 'The Book of Hidden Things is both a mystery and a map. Follow the clues along the trail in Francesco Dimtri's dazzing debut and you'll be ushered into a hidden world of magic, not only within these pages, but also within your own life. Be prepared to be transformed.' - Mark Chadbourn, author of Age of Misrule 'As soon as I read the first lines of The Book of Hidden Things, I felt at home. It is an immersive book, that draws you in and never lets you go. Gripping, ruthless in the way it describes the age of reason, dominated by a mysterious, magical Salento landscape very far from the chocolate box images we are used to. In a word, unmissable.' - Licia Troisi, author of Nihal From The Land Of Wind 'Francesco Dimitri's first novel in English is a wonder and a revelation. Hidden within this gripping, frightening story about an arcane manuscript is a deep, clear-eyed, and compassionate meditation on friendship as it evolves over time. The Book of Hidden Things is fantasy at it's best: using magical tropes to illuminate real life.' - Terri Windling, author of The Wood Wife 'What a joy to have this in English. Francesco Dimitri's fantastic fantasy novel has everything I like. A sensation of damp shadows moving just out of sight, and a slow, joyful, and mysterious unravelling of events. I can't recommend it too highly.' --Joe R. Lansdale, author of The Thicket

Francesco Dimitri (Author), Andrew Wincott (Narrator)

Audiobook

That Sense of Wonder

All of us experience a sense of wonder at some point in our lives. Perhaps you felt it when you experienced your first kiss; when you grasped the perfectly balanced beauty of an equation; or when you first saw the rose windows of Chartres Cathedral? Whatever the circumstances that triggered the feeling, you were left speechless by this extraordinary world of ours. We may speak different languages, cling to different ideas about politics, religion and love - but a longing for wonder connects us all through space and time. Wonder is the impulse behind scientific and philosophical inquiry, artistic creativity and spiritual yearning. It is the most fruitful human sense: firing our curiosity; inspiring us to hope and dream. But our sense of wonder - that feeling we had as children seeing the Milky Way for the first time - gets used up. Faced with the practical demands of adulthood, we trade a sense of wonder for a sense of reality, which all too often brings anxiety and unhappiness in its wake. By exploring the nature of wonder in many areas of human experience, from the natural world to the spirit world, from science to storytelling, Francesco Dimitri reveals how we can reclaim our sense of wonder - not to become children again, but to become happier and more fulfilled adults, better equipped to face the challenges of modern life.

Francesco Dimitri (Author), Oliver J. Hembrough (Narrator)

Audiobook