We invite you to join us for an authentic Turinese literary event! We will begin with a Merenda Sinoira, a traditional late afternoon meal from Piedmont, featuring a delightful assortment of sweet and savory treats, including local cheeses, cured meats, bread and wine.
Following the meal, we will delve into the rich literary heritage of Italy with a presentation. The Circolo Letterario series, led by Pieranna Garavaso at the Italian Cultural Center, continues with a discussion on "Piemonte: terra di re e di scrittori."
This northern region of Italy has played a central role in the Risorgimento, the historical period that led to Italy's unification as a single nation.
In this Circolo, we will start with a brief history of the 18th—and 19th-century Piedmont region, highlighting the role of the royal family of the Savoias and the origins of some of Italy's most influential publishers.
We will then focus on a selection of well-known literary works by writers from this region, including the first Italian feminist, Sibilla Aleramo, the partisan Beppe Fenoglio, and writers such as Natalia Ginzburg and Primo Levi, whose lives were deeply affected by the anti-Jewish laws during World War II.
Additionally, we will discuss some finalists of the 2024 edition of the literary award Premio Strega, such as Dario Voltolini and Raffaella Romagnolo.
Writers from Piedmont have distinguished themselves both nationally and internationally. We hope this Circolo will enrich your understanding of this beautiful part of Italy.
Pieranna Garavaso is native Italian and came to the US to earn a PhD in Philosophy (at the U of Nebraska Lincoln). She taught Philosophy at the University of Minnesota Morris for 34 years. She was awarded the UMN Morris Alumni Association Teaching Award (2003), the Horace T. Morse Alumni Association Undergraduate Teaching Award (2004) and the UMN Morris Faculty Research Award (2017). Her areas of research include History of Analytic Philosophy, Philosophy of Mathematics, and Feminist Philosophies. She has published articles in Italian and English and authored, co-authored or edited several books; the last collection she has edited is the Bloomsbury Companion to Analytic Feminism (2018). As Emerita/retired she plans to devote more time to reading and discussing Italian literature.
In 2021, ICC was appointed Presidio Letterario of the Società Dante Alighieri (DA), one of the most important Italian institutions for the promotion and appreciation of Italian language and culture since 1889. ICC is now part of a network of cultural centers in Italy and abroad promoting events and initiatives related to Italian literature. Since 2009 DA has officially been part of the jury of Premio Strega, the most prestigious Italian literary award.
