Join us at GO for a discussion on Aqua e tera (La Nave di Teseo) by Dario Franceschini, a powerful love story set in the politically charged landscapes of post-World War I Italy. The event will feature insights from the author himself, as well as Dario Nardella, Adriano Sofri, and Agnese Pini.

The Book:

Following the end of the First World War, the Ferrara countryside becomes the epicenter of uprisings by thousands of laborers who have long been exploited while reclaiming malaria-ridden valleys. The Callegari family, made up of land drainers and washerwomen, navigate a world marked by poverty and ideals—an interplay of water and land—where the women, especially Ginisca, strive to change the future for their daughters. This setting, a postwar Ferrara under the control of the “red leagues,” is soon shaken by the violent emergence of blackshirt squads. Amidst this turbulence, two young women, Tina and Lucia—one the daughter of a fascist landowner, the other of a socialist league leader—meet and their lives intersect in unexpected ways.

The Author:

Dario Franceschini is an Italian politician, lawyer, and author. His literary debut, Nelle vene quell’acqua d’argento (2006), won the Premier Roman de Chambéry in France and the Premio Opera Prima Città di Penne and Premio Bacchelli in Italy. Franceschini continued his literary journey with La follia improvvisa di Ignazio Rando (2007), which was adapted into a theater production, and In 10 parole. Sfidare la destra sui valori (2009), a collection of speeches made during Italy's primary elections. His other works include Daccapo (2011), all published by Bompiani.