A conversation with Stefania Auci, author of the bestselling Florio saga, one of the most successful Italian literary phenomena.About this Event
Join us at Rizzoli Bookstore for an evening with bestselling author Stefania Auci, in conversation with New York-based Italian journalist Simona Siri. Together, they will explore the creation of the Florio saga, the historical research behind Auci’s novels, and the way the story of the Florio family offers a lens through which to discover Sicily, its social and economic transformations, family relationships, ambition, and the remarkable women at the heart of the story.
The conversation will focus particularly on the first two novels of the saga, The Florios of Sicily (I leoni di Sicilia) and The Triumph of the Lions (L’inverno dei leoni), both available to English-language readers.
The event will also offer an opportunity to introduce Auci’s latest novel, L’alba dei leoni, published in Italy in 2026 and not yet available in English in the United States, while exploring the Florio saga as a whole and the extraordinary historical and literary world created by the author. The evening will be followed by by a book signing and a wine reception sponsored by Italian Winery Pasqua.
Stefania Auci was born in Trapani and lives in Palermo. A writer and teacher, she achieved international success with I leoni di Sicilia (The Florios of Sicily), the first novel dedicated to the Florio family, followed by L’inverno dei leoni (The Triumph of the Lions), winner of the Premio Bancarella. Her novels have reached readers around the world, and the Florio saga inspired the successful television series The Lions of Sicily. In 2026 she published L’alba dei leoni, a prequel exploring the origins of the Florio family and completing her literary journey through their history.
Simona Siri is an Italian journalist and writer based in New York City. She is a regular contributor to Vanity Fair Italiaand La Stampa, and her work has also appeared in international publications including The Washington Post, New York Daily News and Vulture. Writing in both Italian and English, she focuses on American society and culture, media, politics, entertainment and the cultural dialogue between Italy and the United States.
Contemporanea. Women’s Words and Stories is a cultural project founded in Biella in 2020 by BI-BOx. It brings together writers, artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and women from civil society, creating a space for dialogue, connection and shared ideas. It also looks to the women of the past, bringing their voices, ideas and legacy into the present.
PASQUA is a Veronese winery founded in 1925 and owned by the Pasqua family. Recognized worldwide as a producer and ambassador of prestigious Veneto wines, the company's ambition is to carry into the future, with renewed stylistic codes, all the winemaking experience consolidated over more than 100 years of history. Alongside Chairman Umberto work his sons Riccardo Pasqua, Chief Executive Officer; Alessandro Pasqua, Vice President for North America; and Andrea Pasqua, Head of Business Development. With the third generation, the winery becomes the House of the Unconventional, a research laboratory and a space for dialogue where quality and creativity take center stage. In its centenary year, Pasqua was chosen by winemaker Charles Smith as global distributor of the House of Smith brands, including K Vintners, Sex, and Real Wine, in the latter of which it is also a minority partner. Also in 2025, the Veronese winery invested in the Sangue d'Oro winemaking project in Pantelleria, owned by actress and international style icon Carole Bouquet, acquiring the property and thus combining an oenological vision with the protection of the island's cultural heritage.
Event venue
Rizzoli Bookstore, 1133 Broadway, New York, United States
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