Italian author Giuseppe Ferrandino makes his first visit to China with his "Naples Series" works

      Recently, Beijing Baima Times Publishing, in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in China, invited renowned Italian author MassimilianoFerrandino to bring his "Naples Series" works to Beijing to participate in the Sino-Italian cultural dialogue event.

On June 9, hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute in China, the first Beijing sharing session of Ferrandino’s "Naples Series" was held at the Italian Cultural Institute. The Italian Cultural Counsellor in China also attended the event, stating that it was an excellent opportunity to enhance Sino-Italian cultural exchange and deepen mutual cultural understanding. During the sharing session, Ferrandino clearly explained to the audience the profound influence of Naples' cultural changes over the decade he spent writing the "Naples Series" and how it intricately shaped his literary creations.

The image above shows the display of Ferrandino’s three "Naples Series" works at the Italian Cultural Institute.

The image above shows the Italian Cultural Counsellor conversing with Ferrandino.

Counsellor (left), Ferrandino (right)

On June 12, a Sino-Italian cultural dialogue event organized by Beijing Baima Times Publishing was successfully held in Beijing. The theme of the dialogue focused on exploring the "response to the times" and the "nostalgia" complex. On the day of the event, the Italian Cultural Institute in China, renowned translator Ms. Li Sha (Italy), former editor-in-chief of *World Literature* Professor Yu Zhongxian, and noted Chinese writer Mr. Lu Nei were invited as guest participants. Mr. Li Guojing, Chairman of Beijing Baima Times Group, served as the dialogue moderator. Together with Italian author Ferrandino and the other guests, they delivered a spectacular exchange of Sino-Italian cultural interaction for the audience.

Ferrandino’s "Naples Series" consists of three works: *The Naples Inferno*, *The Naples Dawn*, and *The Naples Sky*, spanning over a decade of writing. The prose is concise and sharp, the plots are tight and powerful, often blending the fate of ordinary people with the sweeping changes of Naples in a way that exudes a unique aura, infusing everyday narratives with a grand perspective.

The homeland provides a stage for literary creation; literary creation responds to the transformations of one’s native land through the ages

During the dialogue, Ferrandino statedthat Naples is a city full of modernity and possibilities. He hopes that in his literary works, Naples is not just presented as a “protagonist,” but as the backdrop for all events—telling the stories of all the people who live within this setting. His love and passion for his hometown have inspiredFerrandinoto write one outstanding literary work after another rooted in Naples, leading to the birth of the three works in the "Naples Series."

Professor Yu Zhongxian also said,that *The Naples Inferno* is Ferrandino’s representative work in China. In this book, readers can witness many significant historical events,with the turbulent Naples and the protagonist’s growth experiences interwoven throughout, delivering a uniquely striking and profound experience:“The three works in Ferrandino’s ‘Naples Series’ reflect life in Naples—life of the past, but also life of the present. The literary language, phrasing, and structure are truly remarkable.”

Writer Lu Nei stated that all writers consciously write about their times. Writers serve as bridges between eras, and their works inevitably carry the characteristics of their time: “We are not so easily at peace. The things we cannot let go of, the things we see through, the things we don’t see through, the things we release, and the things we can’t release—all of these appear within the structure of a grand novel.”

This coincides perfectly with Ferrandino’s creative philosophy. He believes literature has roots, and some of the stories in the "Naples Series" are autobiographical: “*The Naples Sky* is about family, about every individual. When I wrote *The Naples Dawn*, I was around 30 years old, which aligned with the protagonist. The third book, *The Naples Inferno*, actually tells more of a historical story. You could say these three works represent three different moments, three moments in my life, and three moments when I looked out my window at the world.”

The homeland provides a stage for literary creation—it is space, it is place. The times provide the background for literary creation—it is time, it is the rings of growth. Every creator, whether or not they harbor a sense of homeland or time, lives within them. This Sino-Italian dialogue between writers precisely echoes the collision of literature across borders, deepening mutual understanding between Chinese and Italian cultures while also unleashing unparalleled charm.

The image above shows a group photo of the Sino-Italian cultural dialogue guests.

From left to right: Wang Yu, Li Sha, Li Guojing, interpreter, Ferrandino, Yu Zhongxian, Lu Nei

The "Naples Series" works arrive carrying glimmers of light from ordinary life

*The Naples Inferno*, *The Naples Dawn*, and *The Naples Sky* together form Ferrandino’s "Naples Series" works, infused with a deep sense of attachment to Naples.

Unlike the bestselling 2018 book *The Naples Inferno*, which explores redemption across the passage of time, *The Naples Dawn* focuses on the family of an ordinary middle-aged man, vividly portraying the hidden “midlife crisis” in people’s lives—an aging, stubborn father who is kicked out of the house and comes seeking refuge, a increasingly critical, restless wife after ten years of marriage, and a job filled with suppression and conflict... When marriage, career, and family intertwine in complex and rich ways, and life becomes covered in dust and clutter, what path should we take?

In *The Naples Sky*, people finally get to step away from Naples’ shootings, robberies, the Mafia, and cocaine, and see the life of ordinary people woven from trivial matters. A lazy, indecisive, and laid-back young writer, at the age of thirty, struggles to buy a house and carefully renovates it, inadvertently following in the footsteps of the parents he once despised. When the pressure of a huge mortgage, unstable income, family disagreements, and the departure of his girlfriend all come crashing down on him, life begins to fall apart...

Ferrandino slowly unveils one troubling scene of life after another before the reader’s eyes, like a gray curtain, using plain and simple language to depict the complexity and vitality of Naples. Yet, even amidst this decay and satire, there still shines a glimmer of hope. The emptiness of life instead highlights a kind of attachment to fate.

If one knows why they are alive, they can endure any kind of life. Despair is merely the normal price one pays for catching a glimpse of fate. In the depths of fate, you will always find despair, but hope is waiting there too.

Italian author Edoardo Albinati's "Neapolitan Novels" reading links:

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