April 1st, 2026 — Civitella Ranieri is delighted to share that incoming Writing Fellow Isabella Hammad was shortlisted for the 2026 Premio Strega Europeo, one of Italy’s most prestigious awards for translated fiction. Her novel Enter Ghost (Entra il fantasma), translated by Maurizia Balmelli and published by Marsilio, was selected as one of five finalists for the prize.
The Premio Strega Europeo recognizes recently translated authors whose works have already received significant literary recognition in their countries of origin. Isabella was nominated for Enter Ghost, which also received the 2024 Encore Award and has been widely praised for its exploration of art, exile, family, and Palestinian identity.
Set between London and historic Palestine, Enter Ghost follows an actress who joins a production of Hamlet in the West Bank, where questions of performance, memory, and belonging unfold against the realities of contemporary political life. Through its layered engagement with theater and history, the novel exemplifies Hammad’s nuanced approach to storytelling and her ongoing examination of place, displacement, and cultural inheritance.
The 2026 Premio Strega Europeo shortlist brought together five acclaimed international authors representing a range of literary traditions and languages, with finalists presenting their works at the Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino in Turin.
Complimenti, Isabella!