Featured Author

Alberto Toso Fei

Alberto Toso Fei

Alberto Toso Fei was born in Venice in 1966. A Murano islander, he descends from one of the oldest families of master glassmakers. A journalist, writer and historian, he reported for television news outlets Televenezia, Antenna Tre Nord Est and Telenordest in addition to print media.

His successful first book “Venetian Legends and Ghost Stories” (2000, Arsenale / 2002, Elzeviro) was followed by “Veneziaenigma” (2004, Elzeviro), winner of the Gambrinus Giuseppe Mazzotti award (2005) and the audience award Veneto Banca—The Voice of Readers (2005). The trilogy was completed in 2005 with the publication of “Mysteries of the Lagoon and Stories of Witches” (Elzeviro), winner of the Villa Morosin Special Jury Prize for fiction.

2007 saw the publication of “Shakespeare in Venice: Exploring the City with Shylock and Othello” (Elzeviro), a joint effort with Professor Shaul Bassi. “The Ruyi—Venice” and “The Ruyi—Rome” (2009, Log607/Marsilio) introduced an innovative travel guide concept in collaboration with Log607. Toso Fei also edited “My Local Guide: Venice”, one in a popular travel guide series.

Most recently, “Secrets of the Grand Canal: Mysteries, Anecdotes and Curiosities about the Most Beautiful Boulevard in Venice” (2010, Studio LT2) was published in Venice and is now in its second printing.

Toso Fei is the Artistic Director of the festival “Veneto Spettacoli di Mistero”, now in its second year. The festival, created and supported by the Regione del Veneto, runs the entire month of November.

He attended the Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia and Università degli Studi di Padova, and lives and writes in both Venice and Rome.