What is the best thing that I love about my work? I’m a storyteller and I work both for business and for creative project. Almost every month I’ve got something new to put my skills at work on. It’s never the same, you can never get bored!

And of course… Either in fiction and in business I work with stories, and stories are the cornerstones of civilization. This makes my job… Meaningful to me.

What is my idea of perfect happiness? Today it’s pouring a gentle, summer rain. I had breakfast and now I’m in my room, surrounded by books I haven’t read yet. The window is open and I’m writing something that someone will read.

This is pretty much all I need to be perfectly happy.

What is my greatest fear? “Horror vacui”. To be left with nothing to do, nothing to work for.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? Hesitance. I really like people that take the right decision in the blink of an eye. Sadly, I’m not one of them.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire? Neal Gaiman and Alessandro Baricco. Both of them are wonderful storytellers, that put their skills at work in so many different areas.

What is my greatest extravagance? I’m a miniature-game player, so I spend part of my time assembling and painting models. Those who come visit my home must stand in front of my collection for at least a few minutes. And honestly it’s not a perfect-host move, because I’m a mediocre painter.

On what occasion would I lie? In my professional life, I don’t lie. I always try to find the most positive way to give the news, especially when are grim news, and that’s it.

In my every–day-life, sometimes I pretend to be ill, in order to avoid unpleasant situations.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? I hate when clients change their mind as the project is still running. Part of my job is to find the most creative way to work within boundaries, or maybe to break boundaries and find a way to look like I didn’t. If the boundaries change, all that part of the work is for nothing.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? At a goodbye party, at the end of one long academic year. It was the moment I realized how much time I spent with my students and my colleagues, and how many different projects we accomplished during nine months.

If I could, what would I change about myself? My skin! Makes me look old! (smile)
I’d like to be a bit more resolute.

What is my greatest achievement in work? The next one.

Where would I most like to live? Where I am living right now: close to a big city, but not in a big city.

What is my most treasured possession? My laptop. At least until I buy a new one.

What is my most marked characteristic? I am a passionate, enthusiastic and curious listener. I love to discover what’s great in the life of other people.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? Public transport.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city? Places that tell a story with their style: furniture, menus, waitress, barman and so on… Places like Mi Casa and Cascina Martesana, both in the east part of Milan.

What books influenced my life and how? From a professional point a view, the most important book in my life is The Storytelling Animal. How stories make us human, written by Jonathan Gottschall. It gave me the worlds and the methodology to express what was crucial in my life: the power and the importance of stories. Not just in entertainment, but in every single aspect of our lives.

As a reader, the book that changed my life is Agotha Kristof’s trilogy: Le grand cahier, La preuve, La trisieme mensonge. She made me understand the kind of power that words can unleash if used by a master storyteller.

Who are my favorite writers? Neal Gaiman. Irvine Welsh. Agotha Kristof. Thomas Ligotti. Fedor Dostoevskij. Alessandro Baricco.

In no particular order.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Well, I’m the kind of person that find his song-of-the-century any other week, so it’s a bit difficult to decide. But if it’s my very last day, I’ll probably be sentimental and will go for Depeche Mode, Violator and Song of Faith and Devotion.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? Again, difficult question: I’ve got a lot of fictional heroes! The most representative today is Don Draper of Mad men. Unpredictable, creative, passionate and harsh, but still fragile as a child.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? Everyone in No-profit, social organizations such as Caritas or Pane quotidiano. What they do every single day for homeless and underprivileged people is the very essence of society.

Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime? Star Wars! The first trilogy, at least. And, if you want to understand italian people, La Grande Guerra, di Mario Monicelli, and La Notte di Michelangelo Antonioni. And you should see at least one movie of Andrej Tarkovskij: my favorite is Зе́ркало (the Mirror).

You asked for one, I know… But life-expectation is increasing everywhere, so you’re going to have much time than expected.

What role plays art in my life and work? A central role, but not always in a positive way. I am an omnivorous reader, I try to watch as many movies as I can, I’m kind of a regular in theaters, museum and galleries. Most of the time all those different stimuli help me find the right mood to work, but any now and then they put me in a cold spot, because of the feelings they convey, or for the level of perfection they achieve. Honestly, perfect beauty makes me feel small.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? My soul-brother Daniele Conti.
Alessandro Tunno and Lisa Calamandrei at Madfactory have been friends and great partners in developing our web-based tool for marketing research.
Everyone in the magmatic team of Mohole: Mohole is giving birth to an innovative way of teaching creative languages, and I’m very proud to be part of it.

Whom would I like to work with in 2019/2020? My students –the old ones and the new ones– because they are always a source of energy and inspiration.
Companies and persons with great stories to tell.

Which people in my profession would I love to meet in 2019/2020? I hope I’ll have the opportunity to know a lot of people with big dreams and strong will.

What project, in 2019/2020, am I looking forward to work on? First of all, a TV show inspired by a book about World War II. Moreover: I’m studying to become a business coach, and I’m looking forward to start combine storytelling and coaching skills.

Where can you see me or my work in 2019/2020? In theaters.
On line: follow my blog milanese30giorni.com or my linkedin account.
You can also buy my book on line here: https://www.youcanprint.it/index.php?option=com_chronocontact&chronoformname=risultati_ricerca_generale&Itemid=95
(only available in Italian)

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? I could change almost everything in my life and still be me. My job, my country, the color of my hair, even my name… Those things do not define me. But I could never ever stop telling stories without being a completely different person. A worst person, most likely.

Which creative heroes should Peter invite to tell their story? Federico Danelli, gamification specialist. Alan Maglio, filmmaker.

How can you contact me?
Mail me at alessandro.mauri@mohole.it
Follow me on www.milanese30giorni.com (only in Italian) or on Facebook.