Janek Gorczyca's 'Storia di mia vita': A Homeless Memoir Becomes Italian Literary Sensation

Janek Gorczyca, a Polish man who has been homeless in Rome for 25 years, has published a memoir titled 'Storia di mia vita' with Sellerio, becoming an unexpected literary phenomenon. The book, discovered and edited by Christian Raimo, is written in a rough, unpolished Italian that reflects Gorczyca's non-native fluency. It recounts his arrival in Rome, his life on the streets, casual work, squats, and the difficulty of forming communities. Gorczyca writes with stark honesty about violence, suicide attempts, theft, and conflicts, as well as his pride in physical strength and organizational skills. The title contains a grammatical error, which the author retains as part of his authentic voice. The memoir is neither a novel nor a journalistic report but a raw autobiographical fragment that eschews bourgeois literary conventions. Gorczyca's language is devoid of adjectives and adverbs, using simple, sometimes abrupt sentences. The book challenges readers with its unvarnished portrayal of marginalization, ending with the line: 'qui voglio finire mio racconto, perché ho sofferto troppo' (here I want to end my story, because I have suffered too much).