"Jean-Baptiste Andrea's Fascist Italy Love Story Wins France's Top Literary Prize"
Jean-Baptiste Andrea has won the prestigious Goncourt Prize, France's most coveted literary award, for his novel "Veiller Sur Elle" ("Watching Over Her"). The nearly 600-page novel is set in 20th-century Italy and tells the story of Michelangelo "Mimo" Vitaliani, a dwarf and skilled sculptor, and his star-crossed love affair with Viola Orsini. Andrea, a former screenwriter and film director, expressed his astonishment and gratitude upon receiving the award, stating that it fulfilled a dream he had 43 years ago. The Goncourt Prize is known for launching careers and boosting book sales, and Andrea's win is expected to do the same.