Book Pride today – until Sunday 6 March at Superstudio Maxi in via Moncucco 35, Famagosta area – the book fair and independent publishing, which has reached its sixth edition this year. A path that has transformed an initiative of some courageous publishing houses into one of the most important events of the Italian publishing calendar.
Book Pride 2022 was presented by president Isabella Ferretti starting from an encouraging premise, that of the growth of the book market: the turnover of the sector in 2021 reached one and a half billion euros, with a growth of 15% over the year. previous (Gfk data). “Numbers that give us hope and remind us how important the books were in the difficult period of the lockdown,” said Tommaso Sacchi, councilor for culture of the municipality of Milan, presenting the event. He also wanted to underline “the importance of returning to an event in the presence and moreover within the Superstudio of Famagosta, a place that best represents the involvement of the suburbs in the life of the city”.
«Moving to via Moncucco – said the president of Book Pride Ferretti – is important for several reasons. First of all because Superstudio is a former steel factory converted in an extraordinary way, the perfect venue for an event like ours, in perfect balance between cultural offer and exhibition fair; and then because it seems interesting to us to invite all the Milanese to discover Famagosta, a neighborhood that is not very central and with a lot of potential yet to be explored ».
The increasing role of independent publishing – in 2021 small and medium-sized publishers reached 43% of the sales of the entire sector – therefore finds an ideal showcase in Book Pride, this year able to host more than 170 publishing houses and present a program of 200 events. Events that will be divided into four thematic areas – Alliances, Proximity, Living everything from all sides, Dedications – and which will all be inspired by the “Multitudes” concept. In addition to the usual section dedicated to the professions of the book (editing, translation, proofreading), there are numerous meetings not to be missed.
We start today (at 13.30) with the thirty years of Tangentopoli remembered by the journalist Mario Consani and by Gherardo Colombo in “Tangentopoli for those who were not there” (Nutrimenti); it continues with the stories of Moni Ovadia from “Un ebreo contro” (Ed. Gruppo Abele) in the presence of the journalist Luciana Castellina (3.30 pm) and with the Milan described by Marta Perego in “M come Milano” (Bottega Errante).
Saturday at 3.30 pm will be the turn of the tribute to the French writer Annie Ernaux and her “L’evento” (L’orma publisher), a novel from which some readings by the actress Sonia Bergamasco will be taken. And it will be the turn of the essay on Pier Paolo Pasolini – “Pasolini character. A great author between scandal, persecution and success ”(Interlinea) – written and presented by the author Gian Carlo Ferretti (4.30 pm).
Pasolini will be the first of the three great names born in 1922 in Italian literature remembered one hundred years after his birth. The second is Luciano Bianciardi, author of the masterpiece “La vita agra”: on the occasion of the release of the audiobook (Emons) read by the actor Alessandro Benvenuti – Alberto Rollo and Luciana Bianciardi, daughter of the Tuscan writer, will talk about it (Sunday at 12.30 ). The third “centenary” is Giorgio Manganelli, recalled (Sunday at 4.30 pm) in his capacity as a literary reviewer in “Altre concupiscenze” (Adelphi).
Closing rightly dedicated to the memory of one of our greatest songwriters, Lucio Dalla, ten years after his death: the guest of “Le parole delle canzoni”, a series of meetings curated by Treccani, will be the illustrator and lyricist Paola Pallottino, author, among other songs, of “4-3-1943.” On Sunday at 6.30 pm he will talk about it with the journalist Massimo Iondini.
“Book Pride”, from today to Sunday 6 March, Superstudio Maxi, via Moncucco 35, daily admission 6 euros (3 euros for those enrolled in the Milanese library system), opening hours 10-20