Il libro: fra ricordo e avventura | A Conversation with Jarosław Mikołajewski & Joanna Ugniewska

Schedule

Thu, 04 Jun, 2026 at 05:30 pm

Location

Piazza Attilio Hortis, 4, 34124 Trieste TS, Italia | Trieste, FR

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? Does the printed book today hold more emotional than practical value?
? Can the appearance and even the smell of a book shape the reading experience?
? Does having a private library say something about who we are?
? Can a book cover become the impulse for collecting books?
? Can books function as keepsakes or symbols of important relationships?
? Why do some readers still prefer paper books despite the development of technology?
? What meaning do books passed down through generations carry?
These are some of the questions that Jarosław Mikołajewski and Joanna Ugniewska will explore during their conversation about books - both as everyday objects and as artefacts charged with personal and cultural meaning. The discussion will also touch on contemporary practices of collecting books and building private libraries, as well as the role graphic design and book covers play in shaping our perception of literature and the emotional value we attach to particular editions.
The conversation will also address literary translation. Jarosław Mikołajewski translated the works of Umberto Saba, who has a dedicated biographical room at the museum. Trieste is also home to Saba’s historic antiquarian bookshop, where the poet once worked and where traces of his life and legacy can still be found.
The meeting accompanies the exhibition “Keys to Imagination. Masters of Polish Book Covers (1950–1980)”, currently on view at Museo LETS - Letteratura Trieste.
Joanna Ugniewska is a Polish translator, literary scholar, and essayist specializing in Italian literature. She has translated works by major authors such as Umberto Eco, Claudio Magris, Antonio Tabucchi, Roberto Calasso, and Giorgio Agamben, helping shape the reception of Italian literature in Poland.
Jarosław Mikołajewski is a Polish poet, essayist, and translator of Italian literature. He is especially known for his acclaimed Polish translations of Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio and Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. He has also translated works by Giacomo Leopardi, Eugenio Montale, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Cesare Pavese, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and Gianni Rodari.
The meeting will be held in Italian.
We warmly invite you to join us!
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Where is it happening?

Piazza Attilio Hortis, 4, 34124 Trieste TS, Italia, Piazza Attilio Hortis, 4, 34124 Trieste TS, Italia, Trieste, Italy

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Instytut Adama Mickiewicza
Host or PublisherInstytut Adama Mickiewicza

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