‘American Pastoral’ by Philip Roth returns to bookstores with 15 events throughout Italy

Originally published in 1997 and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1998, “American Pastoral” is one of the most famous novels by the American writer. Through the story of Seymour Levov, known as the Swede, and his family, Roth tells the story of the collapse of the American dream, the contradictions of an entire generation and the fracture between individual aspirations and collective transformations. A work capable of still questioning our present today, addressing universal themes such as identity, generational conflict, family and disillusionment.

To celebrate this long-awaited return, the Feltrinelli bookshops become places of discussion and participation, giving life to a widespread program that focuses on the pleasure of reading and the sharing of ideas. An exclusive initiative that brings together readers, authors, scholars and literary communities in a dialogue around Roth’s work, through meetings, conversations and book club events. The program on November 10th will involve 15 Italian cities simultaneously: Arezzo, Bologna, Brescia, Florence, Mantua, Milan, Palermo, Pistoia, Rome, Salerno, Savona, Turin, Trento, Varese and Venice.

In Bologna, Professor Elena Lamberti will lead the meeting dedicated to the novel, while in Florence Vanni Santoni, Alessandro Raveggi and Matilde Santoni will be the protagonists. In Milan, the event will see the participation of Ilenia Zodiaco and Marco Cantoni, while in Rome the discussion will be entrusted to Antonella Lattanzi and Tommaso Pincio.

Professors Daniele Giglioli and Andrea Binelli will intervene in Trento, while in Palermo the initiative will involve Giorgia Duro and the Righe Ribelli book club. Giulio D’Antona will participate in Varese, in Mantua Georgiana Ursache together with the Tasty Tales Club, in Pistoia Matteo Moca, in Brescia the writer and critic Michele Masneri, returning from a recent trip to Newark with some of the members of the bookshop’s English Book Club. In Arezzo, Savona, Turin and Salerno, the book clubs of the bookshops will lead the conversation, enhancing the role of communities of readers in the discovery and rereading of the great classics.

The initiative confirms Feltrinelli’s commitment to making bookshops not only spaces dedicated to books, but also places for meeting, learning and cultural dialogue. An opportunity to introduce new readers to Philip Roth’s writing and invite those who already know the novel to rediscover it through new perspectives and interpretations.