AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Books: A new essay on public historians argues anniversaries can spark predictable book floods, but also create rare chances to ask fresh questions about familiar stories. Author Spotlight: Chef-author Joseph Ogilvy’s debut “Tin Can Coast” traces how California’s fishing industry shaped the state’s rise to global commerce. Wine & Reading Culture: The Global Pinot Gris Masters 2026 highlights how Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris can deliver real character, including strong results from cheaper bottles. Travel & Summer Lists: A roundup of “beach reads” spotlights New Jersey-set novels for holiday reading. Italy in the News: The Vatican Publishing House releases an Italian edition of “Félix Varela: A Biography,” linking the priest’s writings to Cuban national culture and independence. Tech/Industry (Italy-linked): Sòphia High Tech unveils ROMAN, a robotic arm built to inspect and maintain parts inside a nuclear fusion reactor.

Publishing & Law: Italy’s Corriere della Sera was ordered to pay €27,500 after a Milan court ruled it defamed sociology professor Alessandro Orsini by calling him part of a “Putin’s Network in Italy” that the court said never existed. Books & Ideas: Pope Leo XIV’s new book foreword urges nuclear disarmament and quotes an unpublished Bob Dylan song about the atomic bomb, framing peace as “disarmament” rather than weapons. Literary Spotlight: Valeria Luiselli’s “Beginning Middle End” returns to her Italy-set story world, continuing themes from “Lost Children Archive” with refugees and xenophobia in the background. Culture & Community: A St. Michaels weekend exhibition, “Canvases of the Cosmos,” brings artist Roland Comtois to Simpatico Trattoria with an art-and-light experience. Science & Reading Culture: A new study using JWST data finds surprisingly early dust-making in the metal-poor dwarf galaxy Sextans A, pushing models of when the universe’s “dust factories” began.

Pope Leo XIV in Books & Peace: The Vatican Publishing House has released in Italian Pope Leo XIV’s new collection, Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift, urging nuclear disarmament and warning against a “third world war fought piecemeal.” Publishing & Culture: TIFF has unveiled its Gala and Special Presentations lineup for 10–20 September, with 64 titles so far and 35 world premieres, plus a new TIFF: The Market for international sales. Italian Tech Regulation: Lombardy’s new regional law on data centres (in force since 20 June) pushes siting in brownfields, carbon-neutral energy, heat recovery and efficient cooling—aiming to reduce regulatory fragmentation. Workplace Rights: Italy has transposed the EU Pay Transparency Directive via Legislative Decree 96/2026, requiring objective, gender-neutral pay criteria and salary-range disclosure, with reporting phasing in from 2027. Science & Research: A study led by Italy’s University of Milan-Bicocca suggests a black hole may be “cooking” a distant gas cloud, affecting star formation in the early universe.

Vatican Publishing: Pope Leo XIV’s new Italian anthology Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift (Libreria Editrice Vaticana) hits shelves, gathering his peace addresses since his 2025 election and opening with a previously unpublished foreword calling for disarmament and the elimination of nuclear weapons. Publishing & Culture: The book’s curation by Alessandro Banfi spotlights how the Pope frames peace as a Gospel message, with references that include Bob Dylan and figures such as Dorothy Day and Giorgio La Pira. Health & Environment: A European Heart Journal study reports micro- and nanoplastics in the coronary blood of 84% of serious heart-attack patients, raising fresh concerns about pollution’s links to cardiovascular disease. Tech & Industry: Italy’s AgID rector Carlo Alberto Giusti argues the AI race is about technological sovereignty, pointing to the structural advantage of the US university system. Science & Climate: Research on Greenland meltwater suggests it will strongly weaken Atlantic currents but not fully shut them down.

Publishing & Culture: Vatican Publishing House released Pope Leo XIV’s new peace collection, Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift, bringing together his addresses since his 2025 election (Italian now, English soon). Books on Screen: Isabel Coixet’s Italian-language feature Three Goodbyes adapts Michela Murgia’s novel, with Alba Rohrwacher leading a Rome-set story of love, diagnosis, and unexpected connections. Classics & Film: Reviews and discussion keep circling around Nolan’s The Odyssey, including debate over casting and the film’s relationship to Homer. Local Heritage & Design: In Trentino, Utensili Obliati (“Forgotten Tools”) at Palazzo Migazzi turns obsolete valley crafts into a design-focused exhibition, arguing that know-how can’t be fully preserved by books or archives. Tourism & Reading: Sardinia.blog launched as a free, locally verified island guide in five languages, timed for peak-season booking limits—plus a push for “beach-ready books” for summer travel.

Publishing & Books: A new University of Regina Press study, “Restoring Relations Through Stories: From Dinétah to Denendeh,” spotlights Diné and Dene storytelling and the cultural logic behind “hózhǫǫ,” while also tackling COVID-19’s impact and the harms of “pretendians.” Culture & Reading Habits: “The View” rolled out “The Ladies Get Lit,” with Whoopi Goldberg and others sharing summer picks, including Ann Patchett’s circle. Consumer Protection (Digital Media): Italy’s AGCM fined a sports news operator for clickbaiting, treating it as an unfair commercial practice even when content is “free” but monetized via attention and data. Open Formats & Office Lock-in: LibreOffice says Microsoft’s XML-based formats create “silent friction,” pushing users toward open ODF alternatives. Film & Adaptations: Red Sage Studios and Sun Distribution are adapting Gordon Korman’s YA novel “Son of the Mob,” with Vince Marcello directing. Sports & Design: FIFA’s 1974-era World Cup trophy design by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga is still made in Italy by Bertoni/GDE Bertoni.

Literary Prize in Abruzzo: Georgi Gospodinov’s Italian edition of Death and the Gardener (translated by Giuseppe dell’Agata) won the 2026 Parco Majella Literary Award, with the prize’s readers’ vote and mountain setting in Abbateggio highlighted. Publishing & Culture: Andrew Sean Greer’s Villa Coco gets a review spotlighting its Tuscany-set mix of comedy and coming-of-age themes, plus a playful, art-obsessed plot. Health Policy & Care Access: An Italian consortium (Latium Net) is pushing consensus recommendations for treating immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, aiming to balance innovation with sustainability across Italy’s regional healthcare gaps. Travel & Local Rules in Italy: Varenna (Lake Como) introduces fines for tourists who stay shirtless or in swimwear outside beaches and docks, a bid to protect the village’s look and calm. Airbnb Expansion in Italy: Airbnb launches car rentals in Italy (and other countries) via CarTrawler, offering up to $200 back—though only for first-time bookings that meet the fine-print terms.

Publishing & Culture: Rome’s “pasta-making nonnas” trend keeps spreading, with window displays turning sfoglina craft into a tourist spectacle—and locals are split on whether it’s charming or “wrong.” Games & Creativity: Indie puzzle Satelital drops a trailer for Steam, betting on rule-discovery in an open-world alien solar system where the logic is learned by observation, not tutorials. Books & Film Buzz: Universal’s Christopher Nolan epic The Odyssey is off to a huge global start ($264M+), with Italy among key territories—while coverage also keeps circling back to how the film reframes Homer for modern audiences. Sports & Media: The World Cup final (Spain vs Argentina) is driving a wave of streaming guides and promo-code betting offers, plus a big Hollywood-heavy halftime/ceremony push. Religion & Heritage: Archbishop Gallagher prays for peace in Ukraine at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel shrine in Berdychiv, marking a major anniversary with large crowds. Local Life: Italy’s private beach lidos vs “spiaggia libera” debate resurfaces as readers compare order, pricing, and access along the coast.

Education & Democracy: A new argument says democratic education isn’t a trade-off with basic skills—reading, writing and numeracy are part of building the competences higher education needs for democracy. Transnational Education (TNE): A piece on cross-border university learning argues TNE works as an ongoing cycle of experience, reflection and practice, not a one-off agreement. Food Safety (US): Pennsylvania restaurant inspections note issues like improper storage and bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food, with many sites passing after on-the-spot corrections. Italian Culture & Tourism: Rome’s “pasta-making nonna” trend is drawing visitors to window-set pasta stations in historic neighborhoods like Trastevere. EU After Brexit: EU nationals in the UK describe how settled-status processes and everyday access changed after the referendum. World Cup & Books: As Spain vs Argentina heads to the final, a roundup points to standout books about football. Somalia’s Radio Archive: Radio Mogadishu is digitising vast reel-to-reel collections founded in the Italian colonial era to preserve and eventually open Somali cultural history.

Publishing & Culture: Dario Fo’s satirical comedy “Open Couple” (with Franca Rame) lands at FICGibara in Gibara, arriving in the centennial year of Fo’s birth and sparking talk about marriage double standards and gender inequality. Film & Books Crossover: Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” keeps smashing box-office records, with global opening figures topping $257.8M+ and Italy among the standout territories—fueling fresh academic chatter around Homer and adaptation. Sports Books: As the FIFA World Cup winds down, readers get a curated list of the best books about soccer, including Ian Hamilton’s “The Faber Book of Soccer” and Nick Hornby’s “Fever Pitch.” Italian Publishing Spotlight: “Jesus in Mongolia” by Marie-Lucile Kubacki is now available in Italy as “Like a Sprout in the Steppe,” framed as a journalistic and spiritual investigation of a small Catholic Church. Local Events: Genoa marks 25 years since the 2001 G8 protests with commemorations, screenings, and demonstrations.

Book Publishing in Italy: Marie-Lucile Kubacki’s Like a Sprout in the Steppe – Jesus in Mongolia lands in Italy after success in France, blending travel writing with a journalistic and spiritual look at a tiny Catholic Church in a vast, multi-faith world. Literary Spotlight: A new review of Andrew Sean Greer’s Villa Coco praises its comic, tender take on love and life—set in a mysterious Tuscany job that turns “Europe” into a personal test. Culture & Books: A “sunshine reading” roundup highlights fresh titles, including Ana Kinsella’s Frida Slattery As Herself and Elizabeth Strout’s The Things We Never Say. Health & Environment: A study from Italian universities links micro- and nanoplastics in blood to higher heart-attack risk, with smoking and air pollution tied to higher concentrations. Public Memory in Genoa: Genoa marks 25 years since the 2001 G8 protests with events recalling Carlo Giuliani and the Diaz School raid.

Arts & Authors: The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta has announced its fall 2026 lineup, mixing live comedy, cabaret and Broadway tributes with author talks (including Harlan Coben’s “Plot Twist”) and family programming. Publishing & Books: Victoria Chang’s new poetry collection “Tree of Knowledge” ties trees, art and personal loss to her reading life, with the author currently in an Italy residency at Civitella Ranieri. Book Culture & Travel: EDGE Escapes is expanding its membership model that turns books into real-world trips—dinners and conversations with authors in the places their stories come from. Italian Context: A new OSV interview spotlights theologian Daniel G. Groody’s work on “A Theology of Migration” after Pope Leo XIV’s Lampedusa visit, linking Catholic theology to the refugee crisis. Literary Spotlight: A review roundup highlights major new releases including Dave Eggers’ “CONTRAPPOSTO” and Daisy Johnson’s “LONG WAVE.”

Fashion & Culture: A new Netflix limited series, Enigma Variations, is set to star Britain’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson (raised in High Wycombe) alongside Alicia Vikander, adapting André Aciman’s novel and putting modern love and masculinity at the center. Publishing & Books: A review of Paul Drayton’s Ultramarine highlights a Renaissance-era mystery tied to Italy’s pigment trade and the lure of “true blue.” Heritage & Travel: A piece on Conegliano frames the town as more than a stop on the Prosecco Road, spotlighting its castle, architecture, and local culture. Science & Health: An EU-funded PRISM-LT project reports progress on 3D bioprinting and “engineered living materials,” aiming to build living tissues for medicine and even cultivated food. Policy & Work: The new EU Pay Transparency Directive is moving into national law, with fresh debate on whether pay disclosure can shrink the gender pay gap. Italy in the News: Nicaragua abruptly breaks diplomatic ties with Italy after Antonio Tajani’s remarks, escalating a dispute tied to an extradition request.

Venice Film Festival Opening: Danny Boyle’s Rupert Murdoch biopic Ink will open the 83rd Venice Film Festival in competition, premiering Sept. 2 at the Sala Grande in the Palazzo del Cinema, with Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce and Claire Foy starring. Publishing & Books in Italy: A new literary spotlight lands on Italy’s cultural infrastructure, including Florence’s National Library moving to host Italy’s largest comic book archive, plus a reminder that book culture keeps expanding beyond traditional shelves. Literary Culture & Adaptations: The Odyssey remains a live wire for readers and audiences, with fresh coverage tying Homer’s epic to modern debates and a new wave of screen attention. Author Spotlight: Patricia Lockwood wins the Gabe Hudson Prize ($10,000) for her dark, comic COVID-era novel Will There Ever Be Another You, underscoring how contemporary fiction is still finding sharp new voices. Poetry Prize: The 2026 Osmosis Poetry Prize goes to Amal Mathew and Satya Dash, celebrating contemporary Indian poets writing in English.

Publishing & Culture: Florence’s National Library is set to become home to Italy’s largest comic book archive, a big win for readers and collectors. Design & Community Learning: Royal Lab Morphis by Juiyi Yen won an A’ Design Award for public-awareness, volunteerism and society—turning streets and museums into hands-on learning spaces. Food & Italian Cooking: Theo Randall marks 20 years at London’s Park Lane and highlights his ingredient-led Italian cooking, with a new cookbook, The Italian Table. Sustainability & Circular Economy: SOWISE+ kicked off in Treviso to turn urban biowaste into advanced bio-based materials via a multipurpose biorefinery. Health Research (Italy-linked): Studies from Italian hospitals report micro- and nanoplastics in coronary blood, with higher levels in heart-attack patients and links to smoking and air pollution. Travel & Paperwork: A British teen stranded in Rome for six weeks after new passport rules shows how bureaucracy can derail education. Climate (Italy): Italy’s health ministry raised red alerts for extreme heat in 15 cities, including Rome, warning of rising climate-related deaths.

Italy-UAE Cultural Honor: President Sergio Mattarella conferred Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi the Officer rank of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, praising her work strengthening Italy–UAE cultural ties. Publishing & Books: Roy Peachey’s “50 Books for Life: A Concise Guide to Catholic Literature” spotlights Catholic reading across many languages and traditions, urging people back into “the Great Conversation” of books. Science & Health (Italy-linked): A study led by Sapienza University of Rome and partners reports higher micro- and nanoplastics in blood of heart-attack patients, linking smoking and air pollution to greater levels. Environment: Swiss-Italian-border research warns desert dust is rising across Southern Europe, with potential health and solar-installation impacts. Sports & Media: World Rugby’s updated referee communication protocols are explained by Rassie Erasmus after Italy raised officiating concerns following the All Blacks. Design & Culture: Michele De Lucchi becomes Triennale Milano’s first creative director, aiming to turn the museum into a “laboratory of vitality.”