Bella Italia between book covers: A literary journey
Italy was this year's Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair and presented an impressive selection of new books. From classics to contemporary novels, the country's lively literary scene is reflected in the variety of new publications.
As Guest of Honour at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2024, Italy presented the diversity of its contemporary literary scene. Under the motto "Rooted in the Future", more than 90 Italian authors presented their works and provided insights into current literary trends. Here you will find a selection of the new publications that show the multifaceted spectrum of Italian literature.
Source: Anna Sandner
Italian literary classics rediscovered
Italian literature has had a significant influence on European cultural history. You can also experience some classics in a new guise in 2024. Dante's "Divine Comedy" is being published in a groundbreaking new translation by Rudolf Georg Adam. The rhythmised prose makes the epic poem more accessible without losing its poetic power. It's surprising how modern Dante can sound.
Vittorio Alfieri's "Sonnets" are a must for poetry fans. His passionate poems about love, freedom and poetic fame already show expressionist traits and offer a fascinating insight into Italian Petrarchism. Petrarchism is a literary movement that goes back to the Italian poet Francesco Petrarca and is characterised by idealised love and artistic, emotive language in poetry.
Contemporary voices of Italy
Modern Italian literature reflects the country's complex realities and addresses universal topics. Viola Ardone's novel "What do you know about being free" takes you to Sicily in the 1960s. Here you experience first-hand how the young Oliva fights for her emancipation in a patriarchal society.
Marco Balzano sheds light on the challenges of migration in "When I Come Back". The story of a Romanian mother who leaves her family behind to work in Italy is deeply moving and thought-provoking.
In addition, Balzano's "Café Royal" tells of human encounters in Milan in the summer of 2020, when life is slowly returning. The novel captures the cautious return to normality and shows how the characters forge new connections and rediscover old ones during this extraordinary time.
Emancipation and identity
There is a long tradition in Italian literature of focussing on the experiences and struggles of women. Sibilla Aleramo's "A Woman" is considered one of the first feminist novels in Italy. The autobiographical story of a young woman who frees herself from an unhappy marriage is still highly topical today.
Ada D'Adamo's "Letter to My Child" is a moving novel about the deep connection between mother and daughter. The story centres on Daria, whose life is shaped by a missed diagnosis at birth, and Ada, the mother, who finds out she is ill shortly before her 50th birthday. Ada's diagnosis prompts her to tell her daughter her life story. The novel vividly portrays the physical and emotional experiences of both women, including everyday challenges, anger and frustration, family secrets, as well as unexpected joys and moments of deep tenderness.
Italy in all its facets
Would you like to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Italy? Then Isabelle Autissier's "Acqua alta" is certainly a recommendation for you. The novel combines the tradition of Venetian literature with current environmental issues. Autissier paints a haunting picture of the lagoon city on the brink of extinction.
Finally, Marta Barone's "When my father disappeared in the streets of Turin" shows how coming to terms with family secrets can lead to self-discovery.
Whether you want to rediscover classics, listen to contemporary voices or immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Italian: let yourself be enchanted by the diversity of Italian literature. Have fun reading!
Header image: Paolo Bruschi/Shutterstock
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