SYNOPSIS
The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia. Nine Lives is a love story about a cat, a family, and an Italian town.
Mixing fiction with fact, Nine Lives tells the story of the town of Amelia, Italy, throughout the 32 centuries of its history. In fact, Amelia is considered the first organized city of central Italy, being four centuries older than Rome. The author uses the multiple lives of a cat named Tito as the way to span the centuries.
Author Ettore Farrattini Pojani is the heir of the Farrattini dynasty, a centuries-old family in Umbria whose family palazzo is in Amelia, north of Rome. Tito’s first life occurs in pre-historic Umbria, and his ninth is in the future. Tito’s mission through all nine of his lives is to help the town and the family to succeed.
A changing cast of characters traces the Farrattini line through the centuries, with Tito joining up with a Farrattini in each generation. Using his feline wiles, Tito bends humans to his will, helping them through many challenges from drought to wars to lovelorn marriages to selfish politicization of joint crises.
In this highly imaginative novel, the author mixes fictional lives with non-fictional information about historical figures as well as the Farrattini family and the town of Amelia. Readers are left wondering about details, such as what is fiction and what is fact. The last chapter will evoke surprise, though a clue that the surprise is coming is contained in the very first chapter. Originally published in Italy in 2022, this first English-language translation is published by Bayou City Press in Houston, Texas, and includes additional drawings, maps, lists of characters, a listing of foreign words and special terms, and notes on sources.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ettore Farrattini Pojani is the heir of the noble Italian Farrattini dynasty, whose family palazzo is in Amelia, Italy, north of Rome. A music expert and critic, Ettore has published extensively on music topics and currently is a collaborator on the website Broadwayworld.com.
This, his second book, was published in Italy in 2022 and has won numerous awards. Prior to focusing on writing, Ettore studied art restoration and specialized in furniture restoration. For almost 20 years he had a workshop in Rome in which hundreds of valuable, unique pieces were brought back to their splendor thanks to his dedication and expertise. In 2001 he transformed the family palazzo into a hotel de charme, which he personally ran for 15 years until it was damaged by the 2016 earthquake.
A dedicated traveler, Ettore is fluent in French and English besides his native Italian.
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Ettore Farrattini Pojani provides an enchanting way to learn 3,200 years of history surrounding Amelia, Italy, in The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia: through the eyes of a cat. Tito, the cat, interacts with the Farrattini family and their city from the Bronze Age to the future as he journeys through his nine lives. The wise cat acts as a guardian spirit, guiding this Italian family through dangerous and depressing obstacles, including war, environmental changes, economic struggles, and relationship issues.
The endearing family characters portrayed throughout the centuries, helped by Tito, are vividly portrayed with realistic actions and dialogue. Valuable lessons are gently woven through the generations, and the cat returns to help overcome significant changes in Amelia. Historical events are relatable through the actions and choices of the Farrattini family, blurring the lines of reality with realistic imagination to bring readers into the story.
Pojani’s masterful narrative invites readers on an immersive journey through Italy’s ever-changing, stunning landscapes and evolving societies while capturing Amelia’s indomitable spirit. This tale artfully blends meticulous historical authenticity with vibrant, imaginative storytelling, creating a mesmerizing experience that appeals to history aficionados and fiction lovers alike. The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia weaves together a rich tapestry of Italy’s past, bringing it to life in a way that resonates deeply and lingers long after the last page is turned.
Following the family through multiple generations offers an appreciation of the struggles faced at specific inflection points by a town slightly older than Rome. In many ways, this is a coming-of-age adventure with Tito as the star. Parents may wish to review a couple of adult-subject references in advance for their less mature readers. Young adults and beyond will enjoy The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia a fun, easy-to-read book. Fans of adventure, history, and cats will thoroughly enjoy this timeless story. Hats off to the fab Italian-to-English translation of Pojani’s delightful story.
