Clara Sereni
Encyclopedia
Clara Sereni is an Italian
writer
. Of Jewish descent, born and married in Rome
, she remained in the capital city until 1991, then she moved to Perugia
, where she still lives.
She become known to critics and the public with her first book, Sigma Epsilon (1974), an autobiographical revisiting of the frenzied political times marking her generation. Her second work, Casalinghitudine, written thirteen years later, is a kind of recipe book where each dish is linked with a particular moment of her own past, an indelible memory. Her popularity increased with short stories, such as Manicomio primavera (1989) and the novel Il gioco dei regni (1993), which won her two literary prizes.
Sereni's activities also span the social and political arenas. In the Umbria
n capital of Perugia
she was elected Deputy Mayor, with the Social Policies portfolio, from 1995 to 1997.
In 1998, following a difficult personal situation (her son Matteo is affected by psychosis
from birth), Sereni promoted the Città del sole NGO Foundation (becoming its President) - a charity mental health
organisation for the disabled and gravely afflicted.
She is also a columnist for the Italian
newspapers l'Unità
and Il Manifesto
, and has translated and edited works by Balzac, Stendhal
, Madame de la Fayette. Moreover, she has reviewed many books, among which in 1996 the important Si può (You can), where five Italian journalists (Lucia Annunziata
, Gad Lerner
, Barbara Palombelli, Oreste Pivetta e Gianni Riotta
) narrate a positive story of integration into society of the mentally disabled.
In 2003 she won the prestigious Prize Grinzane Cavour
for Literature.
In 2004 Sereni took part in the documentary movie Un silenzio particolare (A Particular Silence), directed by her husband Stefano Rulli, on their mutual experience of life with their son Matteo, also in the movie.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. Of Jewish descent, born and married in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, she remained in the capital city until 1991, then she moved to Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
, where she still lives.
She become known to critics and the public with her first book, Sigma Epsilon (1974), an autobiographical revisiting of the frenzied political times marking her generation. Her second work, Casalinghitudine, written thirteen years later, is a kind of recipe book where each dish is linked with a particular moment of her own past, an indelible memory. Her popularity increased with short stories, such as Manicomio primavera (1989) and the novel Il gioco dei regni (1993), which won her two literary prizes.
Sereni's activities also span the social and political arenas. In the Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
n capital of Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
she was elected Deputy Mayor, with the Social Policies portfolio, from 1995 to 1997.
In 1998, following a difficult personal situation (her son Matteo is affected by psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
from birth), Sereni promoted the Città del sole NGO Foundation (becoming its President) - a charity mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
organisation for the disabled and gravely afflicted.
She is also a columnist for the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
newspapers l'Unità
L'Unità
l'Unità is an Italian left-wing newspaper, originally founded as official newspaper of the Italian Communist Party.-History:L'Unità was founded by Antonio Gramsci on 12 February 1924, as the newspaper of workers and peasants, the official newspaper of Italian Communist Party : it was printed in...
and Il Manifesto
Il Manifesto
il manifesto is an Italian newspaper. While it calls itself communist, it is not connected to any political party. It was founded as a monthly review in 1969 by a collective of left-wing journalists engaged in the wave of critical thought and activity on the Italian left in that period. Prominent...
, and has translated and edited works by Balzac, Stendhal
Stendhal
Marie-Henri Beyle , better known by his pen name Stendhal, was a 19th-century French writer. Known for his acute analysis of his characters' psychology, he is considered one of the earliest and foremost practitioners of realism in his two novels Le Rouge et le Noir and La Chartreuse de Parme...
, Madame de la Fayette. Moreover, she has reviewed many books, among which in 1996 the important Si può (You can), where five Italian journalists (Lucia Annunziata
Lucia Annunziata
Lucia Annunziata is an Italian journalist.-Career:Born in Sarno , at the age of 13 she moved to Salerno, where she attended high school and university, obtaining a degree in History and Philosophy...
, Gad Lerner
Gad Lerner
Gad Lerner is an Italian journalist and writer.-Career:A member of the Jewish community, he began his news career in 1976, writing for the ultra-leftist daily Lotta Continua, belonging to the eponymous political entity, becoming its deputy director...
, Barbara Palombelli, Oreste Pivetta e Gianni Riotta
Gianni Riotta
Gianni Riotta is the Editor in chief of Il Sole 24 Ore. He has contributed to The Washington Post, Le Monde, Foreign Policy, and the New York Times.Riotta was ranked 79 in the 2008 Top 100 Public Intellectuals Poll....
) narrate a positive story of integration into society of the mentally disabled.
In 2003 she won the prestigious Prize Grinzane Cavour
Grinzane Cavour
Grinzane Cavour is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km southeast of Turin and about 45 km northeast of Cuneo.Grinzane Cavour borders the municipalities of Alba and Diano d'Alba....
for Literature.
In 2004 Sereni took part in the documentary movie Un silenzio particolare (A Particular Silence), directed by her husband Stefano Rulli, on their mutual experience of life with their son Matteo, also in the movie.
External links
- Paolo Di Paolo, Vissuto da pelle femminile. Interview with Clara Sereni on ItaliaLibri
- "Food and Subjectivity in Clara Sereni's Casalinghitudine, on Italica 1994 (JStor)
- "Consuming Women and Animals in Clara Sereni's Casalinghitudine", on Italica 1999 (JStor)
- Keeping House, by Clara Sereni, et al. (on Googlebooks)