CARLO VELLUTINI was born in 1975 in Grosseto, where he lives with Angela and their two children. He is a journalist who has worked for many networks before dedicating himself to press offices.
He is strongly linked to his land, Maremma, which he has recounted in his work and in his books.
While completing his Law degree he took part in an Erasmus project at the National University of Galway, where he wrote his thesis. This experience allowed him to discover the beautiful rugged landscape of Connemara and the similarities with native Maremma. This discovery led him to writing unique works that connect the two lands in unexpected ways.
After a foray into non-fiction with two books centered on football clubs (Us Braccagni, tra passato e presente and Cento Passi nella Storia), in 2016 Carlo Vellutini published his debut novel Reti di Smeraldo, set in Galway, which tells the story of an unemployed Italian footballer who accepts an engagement in Ireland. In 2019 it was the turn of Generazioni, viaggio attraverso Maremma, a journey through the history and traditions of his native land seen through the eyes of two American journalists. The recently-published Clifden, l’Irlanda e la Maremma in un pub (2023 – Heimat Edizioni) connects once again the two territories of his life so far, so different and yet so close. The novel features a young man who, after a work experience in an Irish pub in Connemara, returns to Maremma to open his own place and decides to bring there the Irish atmosphere.
His work has won numerous awards. Reti di Smeraldo (Heimat Edizioni) was awarded the “Premio Capalbio-Piazza Magenta” (2017) and the “Premio Città di Lentini – Sport e Letteratura” (2018), in addition to the honorable mention at the 2017 “Premio Firenze”. Generazioni, shortlisted for the 2021 “Premio Firenze”, was awarded the 2021 “Premio Città di Piancastagnaio – La Castagna”.
The author’s love of sports, which culminated in his activity as a sports journalist for important newspapapers, informs his writing and provides yet another link to Ireland. Irish-Italian literary connections have been hugely neglected. The time has come to pay close attention to the work that stems from the still small yet distinctive niche of authors that connect Italy and Ireland in unique, meaningful ways.
