13 Books By Maltese Authors You Need To Read This Summer
Summer is just around the corner and we can finally spend time lounging by the sea with a long drink, and a good book. If you’re looking for something a little closer to home than Mordor, you might wanna check out these 13 amazing titles by Maltese authors.
Thanks to our friends at Merlin Publishers we have a beautiful stack of 7 of these books to give away to one lucky winner, so read on to see how it could be yours!
1. Dak li l-lejl iħallik tgħid, Pierre J. Mejlak
As one of the only two Maltese books to ever have won the EU Prize for Literature, this is a must-read for lovers of contemporary fiction.
2. What happens in Brussels stays in Brussels, Ġużè Stagno
Title notwithstanding, this is classic Stagno in Maltese, a hilarious and insightful take on the quintessential Maltese islander finding himself in the capital of the European Union. It also features what is possibly the longest sex scene in Maltese literature, at 5,000 words and counting.
3. Kulħadd ħalla isem warajh, Clare Azzopardi
Possibly the best writer of her generation, this is Azzopardi at her best. Kulħadd ħalla isem warajh follows the story of nine unforgettable female characters.
4. Sqaq l-Infern, Simon Bartolo and Loranne Vella
Sqaq l-Infern is technically a children’s book, but widely read by adults and possibly Malta’s first crossover book, this book and its two sequels had brought fantasy into Maltese literature, shattering all local sales records in the process.
5. Il-Ħajja Sigrieta tan-Nanna Ġenoveffa, Trevor Żahra
Malta’s raunchiest and most famous nanna – this Adults Only story is a must-read. A laugh a minute.
6. Fil-Mergħat tal-Impossibbli, John Bonello
Steve Ebejer is not your average time traveller. His is an uncontrollable power, which means he can find himself sucked out of the present and thrown into another time and place at any moment. And each time he has to save the world. So gripping you won’t be able to wait to get your hands on its sequel Jien Wieħed Minnhom
7. X’Seta’ Ġralu lil Kevin Cacciattolo?, Mark Vella
Winner of the first edition of the Abbozz competition for fresh new writing. Perfect for all those who lived their childhood in the eighties.
8. Is-Sriep Reġgħu Saru Velenużi, Alex Vella Gera
This book had caused a huge commotion when published, partly for its plot revolving around a fictitious plot to assassinate Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, partly for the author’s notoriety with explicit, pretty graphic sex scenes.
9. Qed Nistenniek Nieżla max-Xita, Pierre J. Mejlak
The defining book of its decade – Mejlak here shows how Maltese literature can be cutting edge, cosmopolitan and fun.
10. Gramma, Leanne Ellul
A recent addition to the canon, Gramma became the fastest-selling fiction title last year – it is a highly-charged interpretation of living with anorexia. Gramma was inspired by a Leanne’s own personal experiences and brings out the reality of the pain of those suffering from eating disorders.
11. Lucy Min?, Lara Calleja
This debut novel broke record sales on the book-signing night. The fiction story is striking a chord with young urban readers, who identify with the main character in the book. Lucy is a girl “who knew nothing”. She had no idea how to hold a banner at an environmental protest; she had never seen a naked man; she had a series of hopeless dates and then she met George.
12. In the Name of the Prince, Liam Gauci
With In the Name of the Prince, Liam Gauci cements his role as Malta’s most dynamic young historian, and the subject matter – Maltese corsairs during the years of the Order – matches the infectious enthusiasm of his approach. Bolstered by research from the Notarial Archives, Gauci presents corsairing as a business – no more, no less – that was largely run by a colourful, cosmopolitan array of characters who were really just out to earn a quick buck.
13. Two, Teodor Reljić
Elizabeth, on her annual summer holiday in Malta with her family, suffers a heart attack and slips to a coma. With no sign of recovery on the horizon, her young son William is lost. But William’s mother did leave something behind. Stories she would tell him, about a young boy named Vermillion, who lived between two hills in a distant land.
Bonus: Undertow
Undertow is a captivating collection of narratives of migrants and Maltese people about their experience of travelling, and constructing a sense of home. The stories follow the different journeys people take, and the continuity between the idea of ‘homeland’ and present life. The book launches Thursday 16th June.
Want to win this gorgeous stack of amazing novels? Head on over to our Facebook post and tell us which Maltese book is your favourite, and you could win these beautiful Sette Libri for Sette Giugno from Merlin Publishers!
The article has been updated to correct the title “Fil-Mergħat tal-Impossibbli”.
