A journey throughout the month of May among books, authors, and stories that tell the story of our time. This is the program of the "May of Books" that the Municipality of Pisa announces on the occasion of World Book Day.
The 2026 "May of Books" program is divided into three sections: "Creatures on the Move" (books and encounters with the author), "Singing Beauty" (Meetings and Reading for Children), and "Creatures in Our Time" (Stories and Challenges Between Past and Present). Guest authors of the festival include Stefania Auci, Leonardo Gori, Riccardo Nencini, and Marco Vichi.
The first event is Tuesday, April 28th at the State Archives with the presentation of the book "Dawn of the Lions" by Stefania Auci. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, May 5th (12:00 pm), the SMSBiblioMare book loan facility will be inaugurated at the decentralized municipal office in Marina di Pisa (via Camillo Guidi, 2/A)
MAY OF BOOKS 2026 – THE PROGRAMME
Tuesday, May 5, at 12 noon – Marina di Pisa
Inauguration of SMSBiblioMare loan point - Decentralized Office 1 of the Municipality of Pisa (Via Camillo Guidi, 2/A)
CREATURES ON THE ROAD - Presentation of books and meetings with the author
Tuesday, April 28, 6:00 PM – State Archives of Palazzo Toscanelli
"Dawn of the Lions" by Stefania Auci. Talk to author Chiara Cini. Edited by Libreria Fogola.
Friday, May 8, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"Basilicatesi Tales" by Michele Battaglino. He talks to the author Maria Rosa Cranchi. By the Lu.Pi association Lucanians in Pisa.
Monday, May 11, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"Never Tired of Living: Passions and Turmoil by Oriana Fallaci" by Riccardo Nencini. He talks to the author Francesca Petrucci. Edited by Libreria Pellegrini.
Thursday, May 14, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"The Middle Man" by Piero Tallarico. He talks to the author Marco Azzurrini. Edited by Carmignani Editrice.
Saturday, May 16, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"Journey to the Bookstore: Thirteen Stories Set in Tuscany," with Fabrizio Altieri, Alessandro Agostinelli, and Alessandro Scarpellini. He talks with the authors Paolo Mugnai. Edited by Felici Editore in collaboration with Libreria Blu Book, Libreria Pellegrini and Libreria dei Ragazzi.
Wednesday, May 20, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"Authors in the Mirror" series curated by Valeria Serofilli. "Suffragi d'Arno" by Sandra Lucarelli and "Il tempo inverso" by Paolo Stefanini. Theatrical readings by Rodolfo Baglioni.
Thursday, May 21, 5:30 PM – SMSBiblio
Waiting for the Pisa Book Festival. "Yellow in the Library" with "Black Nights" by Marco Vichi and "The June Wind" by Leonardo Gori. Talk to authors Francesca Franceschi..
Friday, May 22, 5:00 PM – Museum of Ancient Ships of Pisa
Waiting for The Regattas. "The Maritime Republics" by Ermanno Orlando. Talk to author Gabriella Garzella.
Saturday, May 23, 6:30 PM – Fogola Bookstore
"The Silence That Remains" by Giuliano Pasini. He talks to the author Francesca Franceschi.
Monday, May 25, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"To the vote - June 2, 1946. The Voice of Women, the Choice of a Country" by Saulle Panizza. Edited by Pisa University Press – Polo Editoriale Università di Pisa.
Tuesday, May 26, 4:30 PM – SMSBiblio
"The Tomb of Cleopatra" by Yvan Argeadi. Edited by the Proloco City of Pisa.
Thursday, May 28, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"Cell 113" by Lorena Melchiorri. Talk to author Fabrizio Felici. Edited by Felici Editore.
Friday, May 29, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"Songs of the Faceless: Melodies of Revolt" by Massimiliano Bacchiet. He talks to the author Stefano Gallo. Musical plots by Duccio Ghelardoni.
Saturday, May 30, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio
"Everything Comes Back: A New Adventure for Prosecutor Fabio De Falco" by Maurizio Agnello. He talks to the author Lidia Maria Spanò. Curated by Libreria Pellegrini in collaboration with the Calabresi Association in Pisa "Esperia".
SINGING BEAUTY - Meetings and readings for children and teenagers at SMSBiblio
Wednesday, May 6, 5:00 PM | Readings 0 – 6 years
"Born to Read" with NpL Volunteers
Thursday, May 7, 5:00 PM | Book Presentation 10 – 14 Years
"The Register of Nikita Bloom's Lies" by Angela Giammatteo. By the Children's Bookshop. He talks to the author Chiara Martina.
Tuesday, May 12, 10:00 AM | Readings 0 – 3 years
"Born to Read" with NpL Volunteers
Monday, May 18, 5:00 PM | Readings 0 – 6 years
"Born to Read on the Lawn of Wonders" with NpL Volunteers
Saturday, May 23, 11:00 AM. | Readings 5 – 9 years
"Kamishibai: Stories with the Paper Theatre" with the Readings Aloud volunteers
CREATURES IN OUR TIME - Stories and challenges between past and present
Until May 20 – SMSBiblio | Exhibition
"Maria Sklodowska-Curie in Italy: three trips, a passion." Curated by the Polish Academy of Sciences in Rome, in collaboration with the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Florence.
Saturday, May 9, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio | Conference
"Pisa, a City That Writes: A Comparison of Young Writers," with Lorenzo Cantini, Alberto Fonti, Yuri Leoncini, Valeria Sara Papini, and Fabio Davini. Moderates Anna Tavernise.
Friday, May 15, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio | Conference
"You are my obsession! Stalking between Psychology, Criminology, Psychiatry, and Sociology," with Enza Rampello. Edited by the Millecolori Group.
Tuesday, May 19, 5:00 PM – SMSBiblio | Readings
From "Letters against the War" by Tiziano Terzani. By MEIC – Ecclesial Movement of Cultural Commitment in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Center for Peace Sciences and the Department of Agricultural, Food and Agro-Environmental Sciences, University of Pisa.
Wednesday, May 27, 4:30 PM – SMSBiblio | Readings
"The Gossiping Mind," with volunteers from Readings Aloud – LaAV. By the Le Vele Multipurpose Center.
Friday, May 29, 5:00 PM – Bastione Sangallo | Conference
"Santa Bona da Pisa, between tradition and modernity" with Gabriella Garzella. In collaboration with the Noble Judiciary of San Martino.
Info: SMSBiblio - smsbliblio@comune.pisa.it | +39 050 8669200
