First important appointment for the italiani.it literary café conceived and run by the network editor Paola Stranges. At the center of the first meeting the theme dealt with by the book "Vertical Women”(Ed. Ex Cogita) of which the writer is the author Marzia Ci, which was a guest of the literary café together with the artist Eleonora Albanese. An amiable and pleasant three-way conversation, all female but not for women only: rather an opportunity to reflect and share emotions and feelings that also involve the male universe.
Literary café, all-female first date
Marzia Ci is a Roman writer with a degree in philosophy who currently lives in Malta. Her book "Vertical Women" creates a kaleidoscope of figures and situations that have a common leitmotif: overturning stereotypes, old pre-established patterns. The protagonists of the work are 19 and give life to as many short stories. “The publisher and I have defined them as vertical because they are placed on the Cartesian vertical axis or in the sphere of thought”. This is the explanation of the writer who added: "They are women who pose specific questions, even towards those vulgar stereotypes that have always wanted the horizontal woman. That is, a woman considered exclusively an object of desire ".
The conversation brilliantly conducted by Paola Stranges then focused on “women who put themselves on the line to be themselves against pre-established schemes”. From the considerations shared by the guests of the literary café, it emerged that "there is still a strong need to unhinge the old mindset represented by a male and male chauvinist history, in a world that after millennia still, and not too rarely, shows its regurgitation of patriarchal society". “Get involved to try to be yourself. You can be a lover of the family and of the home but only if you decide to be and not by etiquette ". This is the common feeling of Paola, Marzia and Eleonora who with a smile and with graceful irony have outlined a figure of a woman who exists but still struggles to impose herself.
Get involved with eroticism too
The writer Marzia us asserted that, according to her, “talking about eroticism, about female sexuality means getting rid of those 'superstructures' made up of clichés in order to try to be oneself. A woman can also desire and not only be an object of desire for others". The woman, therefore, who becomes an object of desire but who maintains her originality. Without forgetting, of course, self-eroticism. We often think, wrongly, that getting involved is uncomfortable because we leave the comfort zone where we feel good. In reality there is a great pleasure in confronting each other, in interfacing: only in this way can the ideological barriers that create those mental enclosures that are real prisons be overcome.
The false myths
Eleonora Albanese, illustrator of Vertical Women, highlighted how absurd it is nowadays “to have to 'break up' certain false myths again. With Marzia - the artist insisted - we got to know each other better thanks to the work we did together for the book. It was easy and good to work together: this is proof that women are generous and also get along well. The word 'synergy' is true. The exchange - continued Eleonora Albanese - can be: there is. We get involved because there is a great desire to overcome some conditionings that have crushed us for centuries ".
Malta
The author of Vertical Women also spoke about her life in Malta and how the ancient history of the island influenced so much the writing of the book. "Malta is a cultural crossroads of different countries - remarked Marzia Ci - a place where you enrich yourself because you find people who come from different cultures".
Literary coffee: between books and fruitful synergies
Marzia Ci and Eleonora Albanese also answered the questions proposed by the followers of the italiani.it network, including the question on the cover image. “For the illustrations of the book I let myself be guided by Marzia - commented Eleonora Albanese - In particular, the cover image was chosen by the writer and publisher. It is a woman who has two consciences on her shoulders. While the great central hole is the one that collects sensations, moods, experiences, moments of life ". During the meeting it was reiterated that Vertical Women "is not a book only for women but rather an informative text that would be especially good for men.. I would very much like to engage in a dialogue with readers - confided the writer - Each of us can carry a message ”.
Literary café, the next appointment
The second appointment of the italiani.it literary café will be with the professor Xavier Stranges, scientist and head of the Epidemiology department at the Western University of London in Ontario (Canada). The topic will be the Covid and vaccines.
(On the cover the italiani.it editor Paola Stranges)
