Last year I started an online book club that focused on Italian women writers in translation. Our international crew read a total of ten books by well-known authors like Elena Ferrante and Natalia Ginzburg, as well as less familiar ones like Alba de Cespédes and Anna Banti. I found the great joy was not only in discovering (or rediscovering) the works themselves, but in the lively and varied discussions that would follow, proving the maxim that no two people ever read the same book.
This year, I am partnering with Lauren Mouat—author, editor of the Open Doors Review literary magazine and co-founder of the Florence Literary Society—to read and discuss four contemporary Italian novels. Diversity was at the forefront when choosing authors and titles, and the books’ themes range from immigration and multiculturalism to class dynamics, LGBTQ+ relationships, and mental health. The book club is held online and is open to all. Lauren and I will begin each session with a short conversation before turning it over for a group discussion. To learn more and receive optional reading questions and the Zoom link, please subscribe to our newsletters, Illuminare and Open Doors Review. Some of titles may not be immediately available, so please check delivery options with your local bookstore. For those in Italy, you can order in person or online from Paperback Exchange.
At our spring meet on March 17 at 6pm CET, we will be discussing Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous, translated by Ann Goldstein; while our summer read (dates to be announced) will be Swimming to Elba by Silvia Avallone, translated by Antony Shugaar; in the fall, Separate Rooms by Pier Vittorio Tondelli, translated by Simon Pleasance (the new translation releases on April 24); and the year will end with Everything Calls for Salvation by Daniele Mencarelli, translated by Wendy Wheatley.
Buona lettura—happy reading!
