Italian Cat Book Proves a Hit
Rights for the illustrated gift book The Catfulness Method have sold to a number of foreign publishers lately, with deals closing in Germany (Mosaik), England (Quercus), Norway (Font), and Spain (Urano). The conceit of the book is that it is written by cat who is teaching readers how to be happy. The work is structured in seven parts, covering seven weeks, and offers different advice for each week. The book was released at the end of October by Mondadori. Although no author is credited on the book's cover, the text was edited by Paolo Valentino and it is illustrated by Marianna Coppo.
Prize-Winning French Novel Draws Suitors
The Last Of Our Kind by Adélaïde de Clermont-Tonnerre, published in France in September, has been picking up sales. The attention has likely been spurred by the fact that the novel, published by Grasset, recently won the prestigious French literary award Le Grand Prix de l’Académie Française. So far, U.K. rights sold to Hodder. Susanna Lea Associates, which is handling rights, confirmed that there are offers on the book from houses in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Romania. The novel traces the origins of a man who was adopted and knows nothing about his past. Soon we learn he was born in 1945 during the bombing of Dresden, and that he came to America through a U.S. government-sponsored program called Operation Paperclip, which funneled German scientists to the U.S.
French Book on Brain Power Collects Sales
Published in France last month, Free Your Brain by Idriss Aberkane has now sold to houses in Italy (Grazie), Spain (Planeta), Turkey (Domingo), Korea, and Japan. According to the publisher, the book is about how our brains can be pushed to their maximum potential, and explains our mind's "abilities, its limits, its blind spots, and the known ways it can best be used." The author has multiple doctorate degrees, including one in neuroscience.
'Eight Mountains' Continues to Make Rounds
The Eight Mountains by Paolo Cognetti, which we previously reported on, has now sold in 29 foreign rights deals, making it one of the breakout books of Frankfurt Book Fair. Most recently it sold to Bazar (Finland) and Patakis (Greece). MalaTesta Literary Agency controls all rights, and the novel will be published later this month in the author's home country of Italy by Einaudi. Rakesh Satyal of Atria/Simon & Schuster will publish in the U.S., most likely in early 2018. The book chronicles the friendship between two boys from different backgrounds.
Redondo's 'All This' Picks Up Steam
All This I Will Give You by Dolores Redondo is sparking interest among European houses. The work is a standalone from the author of the bestselling Batzan trilogy (which has sold over 1 million copies in Spanish). Just released by Editorial Planeta in Spain, All This has already sold in nine foreign rights deals and is #1 on the lists of two major book chains: Casa del Libro and FNAC. Pontas Literary and Film Agency controls rights. The book opens with a car accident that leaves a man dead. The victim's husband, rejected by the victim's family, soon learns that the accident may not have been what it appeared. After meeting a retired policeman, the husband learns things about the victim's family, and is given the idea that the accident may have actually been a murder.
