The womb of Joseph arrives in Italy — Il libro sbarca in Italia

Joseph's belly crosses the Alps

Great news for Le ventre de Joseph — The epistolary novel by Marie Desplechin, illustrated by Michaël Cailloux, will be published in Italy in 2026, in a carefully translated edition by Milanese publishers. The hippocampus.

The book was published there under the title The tribolazioni of the giovane Cosimo and is given a new life in the language of Dante, in the catalogue of a house renowned for its editorial standards and the beauty of its illustrated books.

The story Tuscany, 18th century. Young Joseph—known as Cosimo to Italian readers—suffers from mysterious stomach pains. His mother consults a herbalist monk, Dom Remigio, and this marks the beginning of a correspondence that will transform the lives of all involved. Through their letters, a unique relationship develops between the boy and the monk, while an old love affair between the mother and the medicinal plant expert resurfaces. The nurse, meanwhile, worries about the strange remedies being prescribed… Since following the abbot's advice, Cosimo has been wandering through mountains and valleys, and strange little creatures have invaded the castle.

A rare epistolary novel, woven with refined language and subtle irony. Michaël Cailloux's illustrations, inspired by old naturalist plates, intertwine the animal and plant worlds in a highly evocative composition.

Practical Info Publisher: L'ippocampo Edizioni (Milan) Format: 22,3 × 28,3 cm, hardcover, 72 pages ISBN: 9791256731213 Price: €19,90 → Discover the book on the publisher's website

The belly of Giuseppe approached in Italia

A beautiful note for all your lovers of illustrative letters: Le ventre de Joseph, the epistolary novel written by Marie Desplechin with the illustration of Michaël Cailloux, is available in Italian and is published in Milan. The hippocampus, with the title The tribolazioni of the giovane Cosimo.

History Toscana, 18th century. Il giovane Cosimo soffre di inesplicabili mal di pancia e, nella speranza di scoprirne la causa, sua madre si rivevolge à un monaco erborista, Dom Remigio. Ha così inizio a scambio epistolare che finà per seconvolgere la vita di tutti i personaggi. Little by little, Cosimo and Dom Remigio established a slow relationship, even torn a galla and loved the mother and the spirit of the pharmacy. That's it, I'm preoccupied by my curiosities when I propose to you. When I leave the abatement, Cosimo non fa che wanders up and down the hill, my soul wanders around and invades the great dimora…

Ambientato tra a remote castle and an isolated abbazia, The tribolazioni of the giovane Cosimo It's a unique book of its own, with a refined language and a subtle irony. The original illustration by Michaël Cailloux, inspired by the ancient naturalistic tales, combines the animal and vegetable world in a highly suggestive composition.

Book card Editor: L'ippocampo Edizioni (Milano) Format: 22,3 × 28,3 cm, cardboard, 72 pages ISBN: 9791256731213 Price: € 19,90 → Take the book from the publisher's site