Europa Editions UK

Europa Editions UK is an independent British publishing house established in 2011 by Sandro Ferri and Sandra Ozzola Ferri, the owners and publishers of the Italian press Edizioni E/O. The British operation was created to bring literature across linguistic and national boundaries, reflecting the founders’ stated ambition of building connections between cultures. Its publishing program has consequently focused heavily on translated fiction and authors whose work offers readers perspectives from outside the English-language mainstream. The imprint became particularly prominent through its publication of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels in the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2015. The four-volume series became one of the most visible translated-fiction successes of its period and helped raise the profile of both Ferrante and Europa Editions among English-language readers. The novels later generated adaptations, including a two-part stage production by April De Angelis at the Rose Theatre in Kingston in 2017 and the HBO television adaptation My Brilliant Friend. Europa’s wider fiction list has included writers such as Andrea Camilleri, Négar Djavadi, Deborah Eisenberg, Dario Fo, Saleem Haddad, Jean-Claude Izzo, Amélie Nothomb, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt. The company’s publishing scope extends beyond literary fiction. In 2013 it introduced Europa World Noir, an international crime-fiction series designed to bring established and translated noir writing to a broader readership. The list has included Gene Kerrigan’s The Rage, winner of the CWA Gold Dagger, Jean-Claude Izzo’s Total Chaos, associated with the development of Mediterranean noir, and reissues of William McIlvanney’s Laidlaw novels. Karin Brynard’s Weeping Waters appeared under the World Noir imprint and was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association International Dagger in 2019. Europa also entered young adult publishing with Christelle Dabos’s A Winter’s Promise, translated from French by Hildegarde Serle. Its nonfiction activity includes Europa Compass, an imprint covering travel, contemporary culture, popular science, history, philosophy, and politics. Another publishing initiative, Tonga Books, was developed in collaboration with American author Alice Sebold, who acquired and edited four works of fiction released under that series name. The UK operation is directed by Eva Ferri. Millie Guille serves as editor, while Daniela Petracco oversees publicity, marketing, and sales. In 2019 Europa moved its sales operation into the Alliance, an international group of publishers and publishing partners sharing editorial and commercial services. Faber & Faber provides sales-service and administrative support for the Alliance, while Grantham Book Services distributes Europa UK titles in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company’s identity remains that of a specialist international publisher: it combines the resources and editorial relationships of its Italian parent with a UK-facing list aimed at introducing translated and culturally diverse writing to English-language markets.

Europa Editions UK was founded in 2011 by Sandro Ferri and Sandra Ozzola Ferri, who also own and publish the Italian press Edizioni E/O. The British publisher was created as an English-language extension of the Italian house and was guided by an international editorial mission: to connect readers with writing from different cultures and literary traditions. Rather than concentrating on a single national market, Europa developed a list built around translated fiction, international crime writing, young adult literature, and selected nonfiction. The publisher’s most important early association was with Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels. Europa published the series in the United Kingdom from 2012 through 2015. The books’ international readership substantially increased the visibility of translated literature in the English-language market and became closely associated with Europa’s identity. The first novel was later adapted for television by HBO as My Brilliant Friend, while April De Angelis adapted the series into a two-part stage production presented at the Rose Theatre, Kingston, in March 2017. Europa’s general fiction list has included authors from a range of countries and literary traditions, among them Andrea Camilleri, Négar Djavadi, Deborah Eisenberg, Dario Fo, Saleem Haddad, Jean-Claude Izzo, Amélie Nothomb, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt. In 2013 the publisher broadened its genre program by launching Europa World Noir, a series devoted to international crime fiction. Its books have included Gene Kerrigan’s The Rage, Jean-Claude Izzo’s Total Chaos, and William McIlvanney’s Laidlaw novels. The series also published Karin Brynard’s Weeping Waters, which was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association International Dagger in 2019. The company developed additional editorial initiatives. Tonga Books was created in collaboration with American novelist Alice Sebold, who acquired and edited four works of fiction published through the series. Europa also expanded into young adult publishing with Christelle Dabos’s A Winter’s Promise, translated from French by Hildegarde Serle. Its nonfiction program was organized through Europa Compass, covering subjects including travel, contemporary culture, popular science, history, philosophy, and politics. Management of the UK operation is assigned to Eva Ferri, with Millie Guille as editor and Daniela Petracco responsible for publicity, marketing, and sales. In 2019 Europa transferred its sales operation to the Alliance, a global network of publishers and publishing partners organized around shared editorial and commercial objectives. Faber & Faber supplies the Alliance’s sales service and administrative support. Europa UK titles are distributed in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Grantham Book Services. The company therefore operates as a specialist international publisher combining the heritage and editorial reach of Edizioni E/O with a dedicated English-language publishing and distribution presence.

• 2019

  Europa joined the Alliance

  [1]Europa Editions UKen.wikipedia.org

  Europa moved its sales operation into the Alliance network, supported administratively and commercially by Faber & Faber.

• 2018

  Weeping Waters published under World Noir

  [1]Europa Editions UKen.wikipedia.org

  Karin Brynard’s crime novel Weeping Waters appeared through Europa World Noir.

• 2017

  Neapolitan Novels stage adaptation presented

  [1]Europa Editions UKen.wikipedia.org

  April De Angelis’s two-part stage adaptation was presented at the Rose Theatre in Kingston.

• 2015

  Neapolitan Novels publication cycle completed

  [1]Europa Editions UKen.wikipedia.org

  Europa’s UK publication of the four-book Neapolitan Novels series concluded.

• 2013

  Europa World Noir launched

  [1]Europa Editions UKen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher introduced an international crime-fiction series featuring new translations and reissues.

• 2012

  Publication of the Neapolitan Novels began

  [1]Europa Editions UKen.wikipedia.org

  Europa began publishing Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels in the United Kingdom.

• 2011

  Europa Editions UK established

  [1]Europa Editions UKen.wikipedia.org

  Sandro Ferri and Sandra Ozzola Ferri founded the British publishing house as an English-language operation connected to Edizioni E/O.

An independent, internationally oriented publisher that builds bridges between literary cultures through translated fiction, crime writing, young adult literature, and culturally focused nonfiction.

• Translated literary fiction · 2012

  Neapolitan Novels

  Elena Ferrante’s four-volume Neapolitan Novels were published by Europa Editions UK between 2012 and 2015. The series follows the long friendship and changing lives of two women in Naples and became the publisher’s most internationally prominent fiction program. Its reach extended beyond books through stage and television adaptations, including HBO’s My Brilliant Friend.

• International crime fiction · 2013

  Europa World Noir

  Launched in 2013, Europa World Noir is a series devoted to crime fiction from different countries and literary traditions. The list has included Gene Kerrigan’s The Rage, Jean-Claude Izzo’s Total Chaos, William McIlvanney’s Laidlaw books, and Karin Brynard’s Weeping Waters. The imprint combines contemporary translations with significant reissues.

• Fiction series

  Tonga Books

  Tonga Books was an editorial initiative developed with American author Alice Sebold. Sebold acquired and edited four works of fiction that Europa published under the Tonga Books series name.

• Nonfiction

  Europa Compass

  Europa Compass is a nonfiction imprint covering a broad range of subjects, including travel, contemporary culture, popular science, history, philosophy, and politics. It extends Europa’s international editorial approach beyond literary and genre fiction.

• Young adult fiction

  A Winter’s Promise

  Christelle Dabos’s A Winter’s Promise marked Europa’s entry into the young adult market. The title was translated from French into English by Hildegarde Serle and formed part of the publisher’s broader expansion beyond adult literary fiction.

• 2019

  Transfer of sales operations to the AllianceStrategy

  Background

  Europa reorganized its commercial infrastructure as part of a wider international publishing network.

  Action taken

  The company moved its sales operation into the Alliance, using Faber & Faber for sales-service and administrative support.

  Aftermath

  Europa UK titles continued to be distributed in the United Kingdom and Ireland through Grantham Book Services.

  Source

• 2013

  Launch of Europa World NoirProduct launch

  Background

  Europa sought to expand its international fiction program into crime writing and to present translated and reissued noir literature to English-language readers.

  Action taken

  The publisher created Europa World Noir as a dedicated series for international crime fiction.

  Aftermath

  The series developed a list including works by Gene Kerrigan, Jean-Claude Izzo, William McIlvanney, and Karin Brynard.

  Source

1. 1Europa Editions UKen.wikipedia.org