Gabriela Riccardi
I’ve spent a great part of my semester with the words of Dacia Maraini. From the first week of our advanced Italian class, we’ve read Dacia’s vivid recollections of her early and later life in Bagheria. Our class has gotten to know Dacia quite intimately through her memoir, and I greatly admire her for the fortitude she writes of through a difficult early life in a WWII concentration champ and postwar poverty.
I was riveted as Dacia walked into the small room in the Palazzo Strozzi – vivacious despite having endured great struggles and youthful despite her years – because I felt as though I knew her from her Italian autobiography, this woman who now stood before me. It was a particularly fascinating experience to listen to her lecture about female writers that preceded her. Because I admire Dacia as a strong woman and ardent feminist, it was a wonderful experience to hear her speak on females that she herself esteems. Additionally, I enjoyed listening to her graciously interact and discuss with people whose views diverged from her own. I was thrilled to be able to listen to and meet this incredible woman in an event we’ve been building up to since January!
Ben Feldmann and Annlie Amlin, SUF students
Ben Feldman
Italian / American Students and Florentines at the conference of Dacia Maraini at Gabinetto Vieusseux, last April, 1st 2014
The conference at the Palazzo Strozzi – consisting of the keynote speaker Dacia Maraini – was a great experience where I gained insight into Italian intellectual culture.(…)
Even though I only understand a few of the concepts, I gained an understanding of something indescribable through words. Simply listening in such a beautiful library was very valuable to me. Thank you!
Sophie Berman
The lecture given by Dacia Maraini was fantastic! This was the first solely Italian lecture I have gone to and it gave me the opportunity to really see how much I know. I was able to follow for a good amount! (…) The most interesting part was listening to the question exchange at the end. I also enjoyed learning a bit about past female Italian writers.
Jackie Tissiere
(…) I was glad to have the opportunity to participate in an event with other Italians and it was interesting to see the difference from now Americans would normally behave: questions weren’t questions, but rather critiques and comments, and talking over each other seems to be an okay thing.
Angilbea Nobel Loho
(…) I didn’t fully understand much of what being said […] However, when we discussed it in class the next day, I think the whole class participated in a very involved discussion on the influence of language on culture, so in that sense, the event was very interesting and educational. (…)
Melissa NG
(…) I’m interested in writing so it was great for me to hear from such a prestigious female writer. She said some beautiful things about the language containing a Nation’s identity.
