Domenico Starnone was born in Naples and lives in Rome. He is the author of thirteen works of fiction, including First Execution(Europa, 2009), Ties (Europa, 2017) a Sunday Times Best Book of the Year, Trick (Europa, 2018), a Finalist for the 2018 National Book Award and the 2019 PEN Translation Prize, Trust (Europa, 2021), and The House on Via Gemito (Europa, 2023), winner of Italy's most prestigious literary prize, the Strega. It was longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024.

Jhumpa Lahiri is an award-winning short story writer and novelist. Born in London and raised in Rhode Island, she currently lives in Rome. Her first book written in Italian, In Other Words, was recently published by Bloomsbury. She is the translator of Ties, Starnone's previous novel.