Description

From the author of Hollow Kingdom, a fantastically funny story featuring a cast of colorful characters in a dying Italian village and a giant truffle that changes their fate forever in this “deliciously absurd tale….I savored every page of this book.” (Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures)

After nearly losing the election to a geriatric donkey, newly installed Mayor Delizia Miccuci can’t help but feel like the sun has finally set on the rural Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino. Tourists only stop by to ask for directions, Nonna Amara’s cherished ristorante is long shuttered, and the town hall is disgustingly overrun with glis glis poo—even Postman Duccio has been disgraced. All that’s left is Bar Celebrità, a rustic establishment where weary locals gather to quibble over decades-long disputes, submit their poor stomachs to bartender Giuseppina’s volcanic espresso, and wonder what will become of the place where together they’ve spent their entire lives.  

Little do the villagers know that local truffle hunter Giovanni Scarpazza has just happened upon something that could change everything. A truffle—un tartufo, that is—sits beneath the soil with the power to either be the greatest gift or the foulest curse the village has ever seen.

Written in the same enchanting style and raucous humor that defines Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures, Tartufo is a reflection on the interconnectedness of life in all its manifestations—and how holding on to harmony in the face of hardship can grow something beautiful and rare beneath the surface.

Praise

“Buxton, whose debut was a finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor, has a style that is unique and captivating, and she tells stories that are cheerfully weird and plausible yet surreal. To readers who enjoyed her earlier novels, or indeed to anyone who enjoys a really fine piece of humorous writing, this one is highly recommendable.” —Booklist
“An unforgettable cast of small-town oddballs steals the show in this deliciously absurd tale of blessings and curses. Kira Jane Buxton’s knack for making delightfully weird situations seem real has never been better. I savored every page of this book!” —Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
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