Several major international writers in festival line-up

This year the Festival of Literature moves to Piazza del Campidoglio from its previous location at the Basilica of Massenzio in the Roman Forum, and takes place from 27 May-1 July.

The extremely popular initiative celebrates the written word with a host of authors who are invited to write a text inspired by the chosen theme, as well as read an excerpt selected from a published work translated into Italian.

The theme of the 13th edition of the annual literature festival is Ognuno, ma proprio ognuno, è il centro del mondo, and the programme features an impressive line-up of Italian and international authors who will read from their work, sometimes with the aid of professional actors, and always accompanied by live music.

Some of the writers that stand out this year and will appeal in particular to an English-speaking audience are Britain's Jeanette Winterson; America's Jhumpa Lahiri, Joshua Ferris and Jonathan Lethem; and Ireland's Roddy Doyle.

The festival is accompanied by the exhibition Lo sguardo e la voce, dedicated to the works of four major European artists: Italians Enzo Cucchi (whose work has featured on a Wanted in Rome cover) and Francesco Clemente; Britain's Christopher Le Brun, president of the Royal Academy in London; and Germany's Rosemarie Trockel. The artists have been inspired by Italian, Chinese, English and French poets, and the exhibition is being held from 26 May-2 July at the Casa delle Letterature in Piazza dell’Orologio.

Other new additions this year are the two appointments in the garden of the Casa delle Letterature: on 16 June Voci da un’altra Europa Ue10 features readings by authors from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic on the tenth anniversary of their nations' entry into the European Union; and on 30 June Un mondo di stupefacente mistero: John Fante, is a tribute to the Italian-American author with readings by Leonardo Colombati, Francesco Durante, Emanuele Trevi, and Sandro Veronesi.

The festival also has separate appointment on 17 September: Ritratto allo specchio at Teatro Argentina, with the Canadian writer Margaret Atwood.
 
For more information tel. 060608 or see website.