Everybody’s Right: A Novel

An aging singer leaves Italy for South America after his fame fades, in a Strega Prize–nominated novel by filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino. Tony Pagoda rose from the streets to become a celebrated entertainer across Italy and beyond. He enjoyed fame, wealth, women, and talent during his peak years. But changing musical tastes and the decline of his band have left him struggling with mundane yet frustrating problems. He decides to make a fresh start. After a brief tour in Brazil, Tony relocates to South America to build a new life. His worldview—shaped by decades of success and association with figures like Sinatra—clashes with this new reality. Having abandoned music, he finds the world feels empty and foreign. Tony must either adapt to life as it is or risk losing himself entirely. The novel presents Tony's life through episodic accounts spanning decades, filled with sex, profanity, and morally questionable behavior. Kirkus Reviews describes it as "a furious, ironic, idiosyncratic, unexpurgated torrent, capturing Italian modernity through the lens of a monstrous character." Publishers Weekly notes that "the vignettes that showcase Tony's moral ineptitude are decidedly entertaining."