Discover award-winning contemporary Italian authors with our curated book club series. Featuring celebrated titles available in English translation, each selection brings you inspiring stories set against Italy’s rich cultural and historical landscape. Join us for meaningful discussions and a deeper connection to Italian literature and culture.
NOVEL: Our next pick is the bestseller “Eva Dorme” (Eva Sleeps) by Francesca Melandri, a sweeping modern story about family, nation, conflict, and forgiveness. At its heart is Eva, a woman searching for the truth about her childhood and homeland. Set in the border region between Italy and Austria, where the cultures and histories of two nations intertwine, the novel weaves together personal and historical narratives. In Alto Adige, Italy’s northernmost region, Eva receives an unexpected message from Calabria, Italy’s southernmost region: Vito, her mother’s former partner and Eva’s father figure, is ill and wants to see her. Over thirty years earlier, Vito had been a young police officer stationed in Tyrol during a time of unrest over disputed land. Despite the tension, he fell in love with Gerda--a local woman, accomplished chef, a terrorist's sister, and Eva’s single mother. One day, without explanation, Vito abruptly left. Why did he return to Calabria, and what secrets from the past remain buried? As Eva journeys from the northern Alps to the southern tip of Italy, she revisits memories of fractured history, cultural divides, and personal stories that shaped her life. Along the way, the novel explores Italy’s regional contrasts—its diverse languages, traditions, and landscapes—as Eva pieces together the puzzle of her family’s past.
“There are few Italian novels that so successfully and surprisingly combine broad themes like local and national history, or the relationship between the north and the south, together with the personal dramas linked to family, love, ambition. This is an epic novel!” —Solo Libri
“A powerful lyrical fresco in which personal and public histories are intertwined.”—Elle
“Gerda’s story is a fascinating look at the political and cultural transformations within Alto Adige...Melandri captures the tension, loss, and patriotism of this region splendidly.” —Historical Novel Society
AUTHOR: Born in Roma in 1964, Francesca Melandri started writing as a screenwriter for documentaries, films, and television series. She published Eva Dorme in 2010, Più Alto del Mare in 2012, Sangue Giusto in 2017, and Piedi Freddi in 2024, winning important prizes and nominations, such as Premio Rapallo Carige and Premio Campiello.
LOCATION: In person in Honolulu. Registered guests will receive an email with address prior to the event. You must have read the book to participate.
TIME: 4pm mingling; 5pm book discussion.
RSVP: A week prior to program.
NOTE: The Friends of Italy Society of Hawaii is not responsible for any liability, cost, and damages which could arise from the programs; and does not provide any refunds, except if it cannot deliver the program, for instance in the case of insufficient enrollment.
QUESTIONS: Email us at info@friendsofitalyhawaii.org.
