Monday, January 08, 2007

Anthology of Italian American Literature in Italian to be Translated

The ANNOTICO Report

 

Few will comprehend the importance of this announcement. It is second only to an Anthology of Italian American History written in Italian.  

 

Francesco Durante in Italy, long ago compiled an imposing  foundational anthology of Italian AMERICAN literature that had been written in the mother tongue, ITALIAN. The anthology was likewise compiled in ITALIAN. 

 

The impending translation to English would provide a compendium that would fill a large gap of Italian American literature that in the begriming in the USA was written predominately in Italian, and even subsequently a substantially large body of work was still written in Italian.

 

With Italians in America being urged to "assimilate", more and more Italian Americans lost Italian language 

skills that  put this Literature and the means to find it out of their reach.

 

This is an important project. Hopefully this will "ignite" a storm of effort to "translate" many of the books listed in this anthology,. But also to "spur" a greater amount of  important Italian books to English.

 

The more information available about the Italian American Experience, the richer the trove we leave for our children.

To help them answer the question, Who am I? You are from whence you came. Study and Learn!

 

 

PUBLICATION OF  ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF ITALIAN ANTHOLOGY OF  ITALIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE

 

Fordham University Press has contracted with the Italian publisher Mondadori to produce an English-language version of Francesco Durante's foundational anthology ItaloAmericana.

 

The publication of this work in English is of major importance to  supporters of Italian American literature

 

The field of Italian American literary studies in the United States has focused almost exclusively on work produced in the English language - an important and growing body of work. But prior to the growth of this dynamic tradition, there flourished another tradition of Italian American writing - works that were written predominantly, though not exclusively in the Italian language. Much of this writing is unfamiliar to students of Italian American culture and literature. To translate Francesco Durante's monumental anthology ItaloAmericana would go a long way towards correcting this situation.

 

We anticipate three important results:

 

1. Study of Italian American culture would proceed from a wider and deeper understanding of their own literary and cultural history. Durante's work not only presents a wide variety of important documents and literary texts, but it also provides a rich and infinitely useful historical, literary, and political commentary, so that readers of this work develop a rich understanding of the forces in play in the texts they study.

 

2. Study of this work will stimulate interest in the study of the Italian language. Scholars who enter this world by way of this translation will inevitably find themselves wishing to explore it further- an enterprise that will only be possible to those who learn to read and  write in the Italian language.

 

3. Italian American writers will have much greater access to the tradition that nourishes their thought and their aesthetic sense. Durante's outstanding notes and introductions will provide them with a deeper understanding of the function and focus of Italian American writing in the period since the beginning of the Great Migration.

 

The costs of this project are substantial, and a number of organizations -- including IAWA, the Calandra Institute, and the Italian Cultural Institute -- are collaborating to raise funds for it. Fordham University Press and James Periconi, Esq., are organizing a kick-off dinner for this project. The dinner will take place on  Wednesday, January 17, 2007, 6 to 9 pm at the Grolier Club 47 East 60th Street New York, NY 10022.

 

Those who wish to attend may request seats at $200 (Friends' Circle), $500 (Champions' Circle), $1,500 (Benefactors' Circle), or $2,500 (Sponsors' Circle). (The nondeductible portion of each ticket is $80. Contributions are fully

deductible as provided by law). Seating is limited. If you wish to attend, please contact Mary Lou Elias-Pe?a at        718-817-4781 or via email at pena@fordham.edu or  <mailto:pena@fordham.edu>

 

If you are not able to attend, it is still possible to make a tax-deductible donation to Fordham University Press to support this undertaking before or after January 17.. All contributions will be reserved in a special fund for this project only. Send your contribution, for ItaloAmericana.to Fordham University Press/ University Box L/ Bronx, NY 10458.

 

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