Elena Ferrante Masterclass - Part Two

Name: Elena Ferrante Masterclass - Part Two
Start: 2026-05-06T18:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-05-06T20:00:00-05:00
Location: Skylark Bookshop

Schedule

Wed May 06 2026 at 06:30 pm to 08:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Skylark Bookshop | Columbia, MO

We’re pleased to welcome back to Skylark Dr. Roberta Tabanelli, for the second in her series of talks about bestselling Italian novelist, Elena Ferrante, whose series of novels, known as The Neapolitan Quartet, has earned her a devoted following in the United States and across the globe.
These talks will be of interest to anyone who has read the novels, or is contemplating doing so. The idea is not so much to give a guided reading of the books themselves, but rather to provide knowledge and context of the Italian subtext (including Italian socio-political and cultural elements) to enrich and inform a reader’s understanding and enjoyment of the novels. Come and learn about the bewitching world of this most enigmatic and of modern writers!
Among many other things, Roberta will be discussing:
Various historical issues, such as:
the Italian Communist Party
the Fascist party
Italian feminism and women’s rights
Italian dialects and their importance, especially in the context of Italy’s Unification.
A brief background on some of the Italian authors mentioned (e.g., Grazia Deledda, Luigi Pirandello, and Alessandro Manzoni)
The topography of Naples
The challenges of translating fiction from Italian into English
This will be the second of two discussions. Attendance is free, but we would really appreciate it if you would let us know that you’re planning to attend.