Born in Bari on April 18, 1973, from parents from Capurso, he obtained his scientific high school diploma and graduated in law at the University of Bari Aldo Moro. After working as an editor, he made his debut as a writer in 2001 with the novel Three Ways to Get Rid of Tolstoy.

In 2009, he won the Super Premio Vittorini, the Volponi Prize, and the Viareggio Prize for his novel “ Bringing Everything Home .” In 2015, he won the Strega Prize for his book “La Ferocia.” He directed the Turin International Book Fair from 2017 to 2023. In 2021, he won the Bottari Lattes Grinzane International Prize and the Napoli Prize for his book “La Città dei Vivi.”