New Book Club Explores Italian Literature

Do you speak Italian and love to read? How about enjoying a good cup of coffee with fellow Italian literature connoisseurs? Then Il Gruppo di Lettura is the place for you.

Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library

I want to continue discovering new Italian writers and practicing my Italian speaking skills. For this reason, I am trying to organize an Italian language book club.

Il Gruppo di Lettura

The aim of this Italian book club is to bring together a diverse range of minds whose common link is a desire to read and to discuss modern and classical Italian literature. Participants will be encouraged to share their personal thoughts, opinions, and reflections on selected readings in a lively free flowing exchange of ideas. As all books and discussions will be in Italian, a good understanding of the language is necessary—ranging from an advanced level to fluent.

Whether you want to add to your reading repertoire, practice your language skills, or meet new people, be sure to sign up and give it a try. Thanks to Professor Mario Mignone and Professor Luigi Fontanella, the monthly meetings will take place at Stony Brook University in the Center of Italian Studies, located on the fourth floor of Melville Library. The first reading will be a short story taken from I sette messaggeri by Dino Buzzati. 

The Founder

Violanda Franzese, an Italian-born architect who lives on Long Island, is responsible for launching this book club. When she was six years old, she left her hometown outside of Naples to move to the US with her family. She grew up speaking the Neapolitan dialect and went on to receive a BA in Fine Arts and Architecture.

With an interest in learning more about her roots, she took an Italian poetry class at Stony Brook for fun. However, this on the whim decision ended up becoming an MA in Italian. Through the program, she discovered new writers like Italo Svevo and Massimo Bontempelli. With the hopes of discovering more Italian authors and improving her Italian, she organized this book club.

For more information and to sign up please contact Violanda Franzese: [email protected].