In this exquisitely written journal-turned-journey of self-discovery, international bestselling author Paolo Cognetti examines our universal desire for connection through a voyage in the Himalayas.Why climb a mountain without ever reaching the summit?In 2017, Paolo Cognetti returned to Nepal, not to conquer the mountains but to journey through the high valleys of the Dolpo with a copy of Peter Matthiessen's The Snow Leopard in hand. Drawing on memories of his childhood in theAlps, Cognetti explored the roots of life in the mountains, truly getting to know the communities and the nature that forged this resilient, almost mythical region. 
Accompanying him was Remigio, a childhood friend who had never left the mountains of Italy, and Nicola, a painter he had recently met. Joined by a stalwart team of local sherpas, the trio started out in the remote Dolpo region of Nepal. From there, a journey of self-discovery shaped by illness, human connection, and empathy was born.
Without Ever Reaching the Summit features line illustrations drawn by the author.

Without Ever Reaching the Summit: A Journey

Biographies & Memoirs

Cognetti, Paolo

Arts & Literature

HarperOne

"A short novel of affecting elegance" –Vogue 
"Cognetti... delivers a beautiful meditation on nature, love, and renewal." –Publishers Weekly 
“A masterclass in high-altitude atmosphere, a sharp portrait of a community and a touching romance, all condensed into 200 pages.” –Financial Times 
As a romance blooms in an isolated Italian Alpine town fate and free will shape the lives of many in this gorgeously written novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Eight Mountains, basis for the 2022 Cannes Jury Prize winning film 
Fausto moves to Fontana Fredda—Cold Fountain—a small, remote village high in the mountains, having left Milan and an old love behind. Out of the way and off the beaten path, Fontana Fredda is a town that operates by its own rules, sense of time, and movement of seasons. Its citizens lead quiet but complex lives—and Fausto is attracted to that contrast. There’s Santorso, the former forest ranger who prefers the company of wolves to humans. Babette, the elegant ex-urbanite who, after a brief fling with a mountain man, opened a permanent fixture in the village: the little restaurant where Fausto works as a line cook, catering to visiting skiers. And it is there where he meets Silvia, the new waitress. Young, cheerful, with the air of a world traveler, the two quickly become friends, and so much more. 
When winter ends, Fausto and Silvia part ways, and return to their old lives to tie up loose ends. Fausto eventually goes back to Fontana Fredda to find Silvia, only to learn that she has found a summer job in a nearby glacier. There, among Italy’s peaceful and picturesque nature, Silvia meets a Nepalese mountain guide who introduces her to the enigmatic teachings of the Buddha. Meanwhile, Fausto finds work cooking for a crew of lumberjacks, and makes regular visits up by Silvia. 
With the turn of seasons, Fausto and Silvia’s relationship is profoundly changed by the winds of time.Life, as they discover, contains endless possibilities. 
Structured in short, distilled chapters, Paolo Cognetti’s luminous, atmospheric novel offers an elegant portrait of a budding romance between two kindred, but different spirits united by their attraction to an isolated landscape. Empathetic, achingly evocative, and buoyed by an affection for the natural world, it is a beautiful meditation on our infinite search to understand our place in the universe. 
Translated from the Italian by Stash Luczkiw

The Lovers: A Novel

Literature & Fiction

United States

HarperVia

"A short novel of affecting elegance" -Vogue "Cognetti... delivers a beautiful meditation on nature, love, and renewal." -Publishers Weekly "A masterclass in high-altitude atmosphere, a sharp portrait of a community and a touching romance, all condensed into 200 pages." -Financial Times As a romance blooms in an isolated Italian Alpine town fate and free will shape the lives of many in this gorgeously written novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Eight Mountains, basis for the 2022 Cannes Jury Prize winning film Fausto moves to Fontana Fredda--Cold Fountain--a small, remote village high in the mountains, having left Milan and an old love behind. Out of the way and off the beaten path, Fontana Fredda is a town that operates by its own rules, sense of time, and movement of seasons. Its citizens lead quiet but complex lives--and Fausto is attracted to that contrast. There's Santorso, the former forest ranger who prefers the company of wolves to humans. Babette, the elegant ex-urbanite who, after a brief fling with a mountain man, opened a permanent fixture in the village: the little restaurant where Fausto works as a line cook, catering to visiting skiers. And it is there where he meets Silvia, the new waitress. Young, cheerful, with the air of a world traveler, the two quickly become friends, and so much more.&nbsp; When winter ends, Fausto and Silvia part ways, and return to their old lives to tie up loose ends. Fausto eventually goes back to Fontana Fredda to find Silvia, only to learn that she has found a summer job in a nearby glacier. There, among Italy's peaceful and picturesque nature,&nbsp;&nbsp;Silvia meets a Nepalese mountain guide who introduces her to the enigmatic teachings of the Buddha. Meanwhile, Fausto finds work cooking for a crew of lumberjacks, and makes regular visits up by Silvia.&nbsp; With the turn of seasons, Fausto and Silvia's relationship is profoundly changed by the winds of time.Life, as they discover, contains endless possibilities.&nbsp; Structured in short, distilled chapters, Paolo Cognetti's luminous, atmospheric novel offers an elegant portrait of a budding romance between two kindred, but different spirits united by their attraction to an isolated landscape. Empathetic, achingly evocative, and buoyed by an affection for the natural world, it is a beautiful meditation on our infinite search to understand our place in the universe.&nbsp; Translated from the Italian by Stash Luczkiw

“A fine book, a rich, achingly painful story that is made for all of us who have ever felt a hunger for the mountains. Few books have so accurately described the way stony heights can define one's sense of joy and rightness. And it is an exquisite unfolding of the deep way humans may love one another.” —Annie Proulx For fans of Elena Ferrante and Paulo Coelho comes the international sensation about the friendship between two young Italian boys from different backgrounds and how their connection evolves and challenges them throughout their lives. Pietro is a lonely boy living in Milan. With his parents becoming more distant each day, the only thing the family shares is their love for the mountains that surround Italy. While on vacation at the foot of the Aosta Valley, Pietro meets Bruno, an adventurous, spirited local boy. Together they spend many summers exploring the mountains’ meadows and peaks and discover the similarities and differences in their lives, their backgrounds, and their futures. The two boys come to find the true meaning of friendship and camaraderie, even as their divergent paths in life—Bruno’s in the mountains, Pietro’s across the world—test the strength and meaning of their connection. A modern Italian masterpiece, The Eight Mountains is a lyrical coming-of-age story about the power of male friendships and the enduring bond between fathers and sons. “There are no more universal themes than those of the landscape, friendship, and becoming adults, and Cognetti’s writing becomes classical (and elegant) to best tell this story…a true novel by a great writer" (Rolling Stone Italia).

The Eight Mountains: A Novel

Literary

Atria Books

For fans of Elena Ferrante and Paulo Coelho comes a moving and elegant novel about the friendship between two young Italian boys from different backgrounds and how their connection evolves and challenges them throughout their lives. “Few books have so accurately described the way stony heights can define one's sense of joy and rightness...an exquisite unfolding of the deep way humans may love one another” (Annie Proulx). Pietro is a lonely boy living in Milan. With his parents becoming more distant each day, the only thing the family shares is their love for the mountains that surround Italy. While on vacation at the foot of the Aosta Valley, Pietro meets Bruno, an adventurous, spirited local boy. Together they spend many summers exploring the mountains’ meadows and peaks and discover the similarities and differences in their lives, their backgrounds, and their futures. The two boys come to find the true meaning of friendship and camaraderie, even as their divergent paths in life—Bruno’s in the mountains, Pietro’s across the world—test the strength and meaning of their connection. “A slim novel of startling expansion that subtly echoes its setting” (Vogue), The Eight Mountains is a lyrical coming-of-age story about the power of male friendships and the enduring bond between fathers and sons. “There are no more universal themes than those of the landscape, friendship, and becoming adults, and Cognetti’s writing becomes classical (and elegant) to best tell this story…a true novel by a great writer” (Rolling Stone Italia).

Washington Square Press

A young man escapes his painful past by retreating to the rustic comfort of the Italian Alps in this gorgeously wrought memoir from the internationally bestselling author of the “exquisite” (Annie Proulx) novel The Eight Mountains. When life in the city becomes too overwhelming for Paolo, he decides to take refuge high in the Italian mountains. Returning to the breathtaking Valle d’Aosta—known for its snowcapped mountain peaks—after a decade’s absence, he rediscovers a simpler life and develops deep human connections with two neighbors. In this stunning landscape, he begins to take stock of his life and consider what he truly values. With lyrical and evocative prose, The Wild Boy is a testament to the power of the natural world, the necessity of an ever-questioning mind, and the resilience of the human spirit.

The Wild Boy: A Memoir

Religion & Spirituality

For fans of Elena Ferrante and Paulo Coelho comes the international sensation about the friendship between two young Italian boys from different backgrounds and how their connection evolves and challenges them throughout their lives.

The Eight Mountains

Platinum Spotlight Series

*Winner of the 2017 Strega Prize, the Strega Giovani Prize and the Prix Médicis étranger* The international sensation about two young Italian boys from different backgrounds who meet in the mountains every summer, and the men they grow to become. Pietro, a lonely city boy, spends his childhood summers in a secluded valley in the Alps. Bruno, the cowherd son of a local stonemason, knows the mountains intimately. Together they spend many summers exploring the mountains' meadows and peaks, discovering the similarities and differences in their lives. As time passes, the two boys come to find the true meaning of friendship and camaraderie even as their paths diverge, Bruno's in the mountains and Pietro's in cities across the globe. A modern Italian masterpiece, The Eight Mountains is a lyrical coming-of-age story spanning three decades; a novel about the power of male friendships and a meditation on loyalty, being in nature, and finding one's place in the world.

HARVILL/SECKER

Without Ever Reaching the Summit: A Himalayan Journey

Parenting & Relationships

The new novel from prizewinning author, Paolo Cognetti is a love story set in a tiny village high in the Italian Alps. Its protagonists, Fausto and Silvia, meet in winter, their relationship becoming a refuge in all senses, and the seasons, as well as the mountains, an integral part of their story together. It has a classic, enduring appeal, a cinematic feel, a captivating backdrop, and a romantic sensibility underpinned by a spare, powerful prose style.\nAcross both fiction and non-fiction, Cognetti's writing seeks to understand human interactions with landscape, interpreting what our obsessions with extremes of beauty, endurance and isolation tell us about ourselves and our relationships with others.\nPraise for Eight Mountains: 
'Exquisite... A rich, achingly painful story' ANNIE PROULX 
'ENCHANTING' Guardian 
'BRILLIANT' New York Times 
'ABSORBING' Irish Times

The Lovers

Contemporary

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cognetti, Paolo. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Cognetti, Paolo

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cognetti, Paolo. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Without Ever Reaching the Summit: A Journey

The Lovers: A Novel

The Lovers: A Novel

The Eight Mountains: A Novel

The Eight Mountains: A Novel

The Wild Boy: A Memoir

The Eight Mountains

The Eight Mountains

Without Ever Reaching the Summit: A Himalayan Journey

The Lovers