Ankara: Italian literature guest of honour at book fair

Italy will be guest of honour at the 13th book fair in Ankara which runs until 24 February. The event was setup by the Italian Embassy in association with the Department of Italian studies of the University of Ankara, with an emphasis on Italian literature. Donatella Di Pietrantonio, winner of the 2017 Campiello Prize for her novel “L’Arminuta”, came from Italy to be a special guest. The fair was opened by the Italian Ambassador to Turkey, Massimo Gaiani, and the first event was a meeting between Di Pietrantonio and her readers. Her book “L’Arminuta” was translated into Turkish by Efil Publishing House. Anna Lia Proieti chaired a panel discussion called “Translate or Betray?”. It included the main translators of Italian texts in Turkey and Nevin Özkan, head of the Italian department at the University of Ankara.  The fair will also include seminars on Italian literature and a panel discussion on Giacomo Leopardi and on Italo Calvino. Anna Frigioni will illustrate a trip through historic Italian libraries. Commedia dell’arte and the work of Carlo Goldoni will also be included, with a conference on 19 February by Ebru Balamir. On 23 February İlhan Karasubaşı will hold a meeting discussing Primo Levi on the centenary of his birth, and Bülent Ayyıldız and Barış Yücesan will focus on “Italian children’s literature: Collodi, De Amicis, Rodari”. Barış Yücesan will also talk about Giovanni Papini, an Italian intellectual from the beginning of the 20th century. Italian literature meetings end on 24 February with a conference on Luigi Pirandello presided over by Alpay İzmirlier, and an overview of Italian mystery writing by Bülent Ayyıldız. The Italian Bookshop will be open, with books from Italian writers translated into Turkish by publishing houses taking part in the event.