Dino is a placid, unambitious man. Living in a small provincial town, his only passion is billiards and he spends his evenings honing his technique. One day, however, Dino's quiet life is interrupted when his wife falls pregnant. This is the first in a series of events that shake him from his slumber and force Dino to test himself for the first time.

Pietro Grossi: Pietro Grossi was born in Florence in 1978. He is a great admirer of Hemingway and J D Salinger, and has been writing since he was eight years old. His first novel Fists was shortlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. He lives and works between Tuscany and Milan.