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Finding Elena Ferrante: An Exploration of Her Neapolitan Novels with Dr. Joseph Luzzi

Finding Elena Ferrante: An Exploration of Her Neapolitan Novels with Dr. Joseph Luzzi


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Elena Ferrante’s “Neapolitan Novels,” four works that explore the intertwined lives of the characters Elena and Lila from childhood into their mature years, have been one of the most powerful literary phenomena of recent years. In this seminar, Joseph Luzzi, the Asher B. Edelman Professor of Literature at Bard College, will explore the magical qualities of Ferrante’s work with participants, especially her brilliant analysis of gender dynamics, her scintillating dialogue between private identity and public history, and her captivating writing style, among others.

Joseph Luzzi received his Ph.D. from Yale University and is a Professor of Comparative Literature and Faculty Member in Italian Studies at Bard College, where he has taught since 2002 after being a visiting faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania. A frequent contributor to publications including the New York Times, TLS, and Chronicle of Higher Education, he is the author of 5 books, including "My Two Italies," a New York Times Editors' Choice selection and "In a Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing, and the Mysteries of Love," a Vanity Fair “Must-Read” selection. His work has been translated into multiple languages and his many awards include a Yale College Teaching Prize, Dante Society of America Essay Prize, and Wallace Fellowship at Villa I Tatti, Harvard's Center for Italian Renaissance Studies. In 2017 he was named Cittadino Onorario/Honorary Citizen in Acri, Calabria, his Italian parents' birthplace. His next book is "Botticelli's Secret: The Lost Drawings and the Rediscovery of the Renaissance," which will be published by W. W. Norton. Professor Luzzi is the founder of the Virtual Book Club, an online community of readers dedicated to exploring some of the best books ever written. Learn more at JosephLuzzi.com.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

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