18 May-22 June 2006. This year the programme boasts two Nobel laureates South African Nadine Gordimer and Portugals Jos Saramago as well as a rich offering of international best sellers and emerging writers. The novelty this year is represented by a new formula in which many authors will find themselves face-to-face with other authors with whom they have something in common. Thus, the best-selling Italian writer Erri De Luca will be on stage with the Catalan writer Javier Crcas, Susanna Tamaro with Sandra Cisneros, Alessandro Baricco with Dave Eggers. Opening the festival this year is John Irving who shot to fame in 1978 with The World According to Garp. Other big names are Richard Ford, Alan Hollinghurst, Arturo Prez-Reverte, Zadie Smith and many more. Tickets are free but must be picked up an hour or so before the event at the entrance to the Basilica di Massenzio in Via dei Fori Imperiali.