Minister Sangiuliano's gaffe: he did not read the books he voted for. Then he clarifies

Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano ’s embarrassment made the rounds of the web in just a few hours. It happened last night, at the award ceremony of the Premio Strega, won by the book Come d’Aria by Ada D’Adamo, who passed away last April 1. The award ceremony, broadcast on Rai Tre, was hosted by comedian Geppi Cucciari, who in the course of the evening gave the floor to the minister, who wanted to address the audience, ironically, with an invitation to read. The minister, who had voted for the Strega Prize finalists, did it all himself: he invited the audience to read, and then admitted that he had not read the books he was supposed to vote for. “I want to say to read, which is a fundamental thing, very beautiful, which enriches you, which makes you live existential moments. I listened to the stories that are expressed in these books that are finalists tonight: they are all stories that grab you, that make you think. Here: I will try to read them.”

Geppi Cucciari then replied, visibly embarrassed, “Ah, you haven’t read them?” The minister, evidently realizing that he had made a resounding gaffe, tried to save himself in the corner, when, however, by then the omelette was done: “Yes, I have read them because I voted, but I want to, how should I say, deepen these volumes.” And Geppi Cucciari, promptly, “That is, beyond the cover. Let’s hear it for our minister.”

In today’s day the minister was forced to clarify further, trying to make amends: “I am sorry that my words were misrepresented, I have obviously read the books of the Strega Prize but not with the calm that they would have deserved, having as you can understand, a lot of commitments. I think anyone who loves culture has happened to pick up a book again to reread some passage that struck you.” But by now the cartoons of the minister not reading the books he voted for are uncountable.

And to think that Sangiuliano beats around the bush a lot on the subject of reading. Every day, or almost every day, he posts his “book of the day” reading recommendations on Twitter. And in May, also interviewed on the subject, he had said, “In my own small way I have self-imposed to read one book a month. It’s a matter of discipline. Like going to mass. Whereas, even among newspapers, there are those who stop at reading tweets or Instagram.” The meager figure remedied last night is therefore likely to surpass all good intentions.

Minister Sangiuliano's gaffe: he did not read the books he voted for. Then he clarifies

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