Italian writer Daniele Del Giudice died overnight at the age of 72, his family said Thursday.
Del Giudice's acclaimed works included Lo stadio di Wimbledon, Atlante occidentale, Nel museo di Reims and Staccando l'ombra da terra.
He was set to receive a career achievement award from the Campiello Prize on Saturday in Venice as "one of the most important contemporary writers", the citation said.
But he had been ill for some time and was not going to get the award personally.
Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said "it is a great loss for Italian culture, he was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century in Italy".
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