Celebrating Books at ‘La Città dei Lettori’

A new literary festival devoted to books and the people who read them take the spotlight in Florence this week.  “La Città dei Lettori” (The City of Readers) is hosted by the Villa Bardini from June 1 to 3, providing an opportunity to hang out in a baroque park and talk about literature with one’s favorite writers.  The vast garden is filled with lilacs, violets, roses, and wisterias and has an unparalleled view of the Florence skyline.

Curated by the Wimbledon Cultural Association, the schedule of events will connect book lovers with writers, journalists, and publishers through conferences, readings, cultural shows, and workshops for children and families.

Best-selling author of The Solitude of Prime Numbers Paolo Giordano and the New Yorker editor Ben Greenman are among the celebrated national and international guests who will be presenting their latest books, never before released in Florence.  Chiara Francini will be debuting her second novel, Mia Madre non lo deve sapere (My Mother Does Not Have To Know).  Major Italian publishing companies will be hosting giveaways and offering exclusive access to unpublished material in spaces in the historic villa and the garden.

As part of the creative fair’s “Talks at the Villa Bardini,” Florence will host the official presentation tour of the 12 finalists of the 2018 Premio Strega, Italy’s most prestigious literary award, for the first time in its history on Friday, June 1. Former recipients of the prize include Umberto Eco, Primo Levi, and Natalia Ginzburg.

After the meeting with the 12 finalists, the series will continue to organize events until November which blend the style of the “Caffé della Versiliana” format involving a speaker interacting with a host, with the presentation of a TED Talk, an innovative forum involving experts sharing ideas. Each talk will involve a 20-minute speech about culture, technology, and society, followed by a dialogue between the speaker and the audience.

“La Città dei Lettori” will offer two events geared towards teens and young adults. The 2019 Italian Book Blogger award will be the first literary prize to celebrate exceptional contributions by Instagrammers, bloggers, and YouTubers to the publishing industry. Imagine a party where people can chat and interact with the finest literary minds: the Florence Book Party will be exactly that.  Young readers will be meeting with the authors behind their beloved fantasy, thriller, young-adult, and contemporary novels.

Children will be entertained by a variety of events revolving around fairytales and fiction: poetry, writing, and rap workshops, science experiment shows with the authors Annalisa Bugini and Teresa Porcella, and children’s authors reading fables and classic literature, including The Chocolate Factory and Pippi Longstocking. An exciting theatrical performance of Magdalena Barile’s adaptation of Candide by Voltaire will animate the garden of the Villa Bardini and stimulate the imaginations of young festival-goers.

The cost of admission for “La Città dei Lettori” is €8, reduced €6. In addition to the literary festival, the ticket provides access into the villa, the garden, and the “Pinocchio, Harry Potter, Mickey Mouse, Heidi, and Others” exhibition for children.

For the full program, visit the website: www.lacittadeilettori.it.