Cesare De Michelis, Marsilio publisher, dies at 74

Cesare De Michelis, president of Italian publisher Marsilio since 1969, died last night in Cortina d'Ampezzo while on holiday. He would have turned 75 on August 19. Born in Dolo (VE) in 1943, De Michelis was also a professor of modern and contemporary Italian literature at the University of Padua. In 1965, shortly after graduating, he joined Marsilio's board and later became president, focusing on political and cultural essays and Italian fiction, launching young authors such as Susanna Tamaro and Margaret Mazzantini. He also brought Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy to Italy, achieving great sales success. From 1965 to 1974 he co-directed the journal Angelus Novus with Massimo Cacciari. In 1980 he was appointed assessor for the city of Venice and vice president of the Venice Biennale. He also served on the board of the Teatro La Fenice Foundation and wrote for Il Sole 24 Ore and Corriere del Veneto. On June 1, 2017, President Sergio Mattarella named him a Knight of Labour. In 2000 Marsilio joined the RCS Libri group but maintained its editorial identity; in 2016 the De Michelis family reacquired it, making it independent again. With Cesare's death, leadership passes to his son Luca, currently CEO. Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli mourned him on Facebook, calling him an intellectual, scholar, film enthusiast, refined bibliophile, and one of Italy's most important publishers.