Beauty And The Inferno

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

From Scampia To Cannes

20120618

Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky.

Italian journalist Roberto Saviano describes the affects of writing his successful Mafia expose' Gomorrah on his life and work. In this episode, he is given a rare release from enforced hiding, to take a trip to the Cannes Film Festival for the opening of the film version of his explosive book, which dramatises his insights going undercover in Naples to reveal the scale and brutality of the modern Mafia operation in Italy and beyond. He is accompanied to Cannes by the youthful stars of the film, ordinary kids from the streets of Naples who play wannabe gangsters, all of whom who have grown up, as Saviano did, in the shadow of violent organised crime.

A series of essays from Italian journalist Roberto Saviano, the celebrated author of Gomorrah - a sensational book exposing the inner workings of the Italian Mafia. Saviano explores a range of his passions, both light and dark, sharing common themes of David vs Goliath and the power of art and talent to overcome difficulties, while offering a compelling insight into his life in hiding and under permanent police protection since Gomorrah's publication in 2006.

Saviano describes the effects on his life and work of writing the book, including a surreal 'fish out of water' trip to the Cannes Film Festival for the opening of the film version.

Abridged by Eileen Horne

Reader: Nicholas Murchie

A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.

Italian journalist Roberto Saviano describes the effects of writing his Mafia expose.

Brittle Bones

20120619

Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky.

Italian journalist Saviano pays tribute to the great jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani, in a triumphant tale of the man's music and his indomitable spirit, despite being crippled by brittle bone disease.

This series of essays are by the celebrated author of Gomorrah - a sensational book exposing the inner workings of the Italian Mafia. Journalist Roberto Saviano explores a range of his passions, both light and dark, sharing common themes of David vs Goliath and the power of art and talent to overcome difficulties, while offering a compelling insight into his life in hiding and under permanent police protection since Gomorrah's publication in 2006.

Abridged by Eileen Horne

Reader: Nicholas Murchie

A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.

Roberto Saviano's tale of pianist Michel Petrucciani's music and indomitable spirit.

Playing It All

20120620

Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky.

Roberto Saviano describes meeting his hero, the great Lionel Messi, Barcelona FC's star player, and another courageous fighter whose life embodies the title of the book - the transcendent beauty of his sporting skills matched only by the infernal battle it took for him to reach the top of his game.

Abridged by Eileen Horne

Reader: Nicholas Murchie

A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.

Roberto Saviano describes meeting his hero, football star Lionel Messi.

The Man Who Was Donnie Brasco

20120621

Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky.

Roberto Saviano dines out his American counterpart, Joe Pistone, an FBI agent who went undercover inside New York Mafia, just as Saviano went undercover with the Naples Camorra. Immortalised in the cinema by Johnny Depp, the real-life Joe offers his insights into the changing face of organized crime in America and in Italy, and the challenges he and Saviano share, living their lives under constant threat.

Abridged by Eileen Horne

Reader: Nicholas Murchie

A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.

Italian journalist Roberto Saviano dines out with Joe Pistone, his American counterpart.

05 LAST

The Ghosts Of Nobel

20120622

Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky.

Saviano visits the Swedish Academy, where he has been asked to speak alongside Salman Rushdie, a fellow victim of threats to his literary freedom, about their common situation and their writing. He draws inspiration not only from Rushdie but from the many authors who have stood in the same place, defending the power of the written word.

Abridged by Eileen Horne

Reader: Nicholas Murchie

A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.

Saviano attends the Nobel Prize ceremony where he has been asked to speak.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	From Scampia To Cannes	20120618	Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky. Italian journalist Roberto Saviano describes the affects of writing his successful Mafia expose' Gomorrah on his life and work. In this episode, he is given a rare release from enforced hiding, to take a trip to the Cannes Film Festival for the opening of the film version of his explosive book, which dramatises his insights going undercover in Naples to reveal the scale and brutality of the modern Mafia operation in Italy and beyond. He is accompanied to Cannes by the youthful stars of the film, ordinary kids from the streets of Naples who play wannabe gangsters, all of whom who have grown up, as Saviano did, in the shadow of violent organised crime. A series of essays from Italian journalist Roberto Saviano, the celebrated author of Gomorrah - a sensational book exposing the inner workings of the Italian Mafia. Saviano explores a range of his passions, both light and dark, sharing common themes of David vs Goliath and the power of art and talent to overcome difficulties, while offering a compelling insight into his life in hiding and under permanent police protection since Gomorrah's publication in 2006. Saviano describes the effects on his life and work of writing the book, including a surreal 'fish out of water' trip to the Cannes Film Festival for the opening of the film version. Abridged by Eileen Horne Reader: Nicholas Murchie A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4. Italian journalist Roberto Saviano describes the effects of writing his Mafia expose.
02	Brittle Bones	20120619	Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky. Italian journalist Saviano pays tribute to the great jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani, in a triumphant tale of the man's music and his indomitable spirit, despite being crippled by brittle bone disease. This series of essays are by the celebrated author of Gomorrah - a sensational book exposing the inner workings of the Italian Mafia. Journalist Roberto Saviano explores a range of his passions, both light and dark, sharing common themes of David vs Goliath and the power of art and talent to overcome difficulties, while offering a compelling insight into his life in hiding and under permanent police protection since Gomorrah's publication in 2006. Abridged by Eileen Horne Reader: Nicholas Murchie A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4. Roberto Saviano's tale of pianist Michel Petrucciani's music and indomitable spirit.
03	Playing It All	20120620	Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky. Roberto Saviano describes meeting his hero, the great Lionel Messi, Barcelona FC's star player, and another courageous fighter whose life embodies the title of the book - the transcendent beauty of his sporting skills matched only by the infernal battle it took for him to reach the top of his game. This series of essays are by the celebrated author of Gomorrah - a sensational book exposing the inner workings of the Italian Mafia. Journalist Roberto Saviano explores a range of his passions, both light and dark, sharing common themes of David vs Goliath and the power of art and talent to overcome difficulties, while offering a compelling insight into his life in hiding and under permanent police protection since Gomorrah's publication in 2006. Abridged by Eileen Horne Reader: Nicholas Murchie A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4. Roberto Saviano describes meeting his hero, football star Lionel Messi.
04	The Man Who Was Donnie Brasco	20120621	Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky. Roberto Saviano dines out his American counterpart, Joe Pistone, an FBI agent who went undercover inside New York Mafia, just as Saviano went undercover with the Naples Camorra. Immortalised in the cinema by Johnny Depp, the real-life Joe offers his insights into the changing face of organized crime in America and in Italy, and the challenges he and Saviano share, living their lives under constant threat. This series of essays are by the celebrated author of Gomorrah - a sensational book exposing the inner workings of the Italian Mafia. Journalist Roberto Saviano explores a range of his passions, both light and dark, sharing common themes of David vs Goliath and the power of art and talent to overcome difficulties, while offering a compelling insight into his life in hiding and under permanent police protection since Gomorrah's publication in 2006. Abridged by Eileen Horne Reader: Nicholas Murchie A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4. Italian journalist Roberto Saviano dines out with Joe Pistone, his American counterpart.
05 LAST	The Ghosts Of Nobel	20120622	Essays by Roberto Saviano. Translated by Oonagh Stransky. Saviano visits the Swedish Academy, where he has been asked to speak alongside Salman Rushdie, a fellow victim of threats to his literary freedom, about their common situation and their writing. He draws inspiration not only from Rushdie but from the many authors who have stood in the same place, defending the power of the written word. This series of essays are by the celebrated author of Gomorrah - a sensational book exposing the inner workings of the Italian Mafia. Journalist Roberto Saviano explores a range of his passions, both light and dark, sharing common themes of David vs Goliath and the power of art and talent to overcome difficulties, while offering a compelling insight into his life in hiding and under permanent police protection since Gomorrah's publication in 2006. Abridged by Eileen Horne Reader: Nicholas Murchie A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4. Saviano attends the Nobel Prize ceremony where he has been asked to speak.