Italy’s Erri De Luca wins dreaded Bad Sex in Fiction prize
LONDON – Acclaimed Italian novelist Erri De Luca has added a somewhat tarnished trophy to his list of accolades — the Bad Sex in Fiction Award.
De Luca won the tongue-in-cheek prize Wednesday for “The Day Before Happiness,” the story of a Neapolitan orphan growing up after World War II.
Judges said they were swayed by a description of two lovers “like ballet dancers hovering en pointe.” They said De Luca’s victory “is a reminder that, even in the wake of Brexit, bad sex knows no borders.”
A novelist, poet, essayist and translator, De Luca is the 24th winner of the Bad Sex prize, awarded by the Literary Review magazine to spotlight “poorly written, perfunctory or redundant” sex writing.
Explicitly pornographic works aren’t eligible.
Past winners include Norman Mailer and Tom Wolfe.
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.