Italian Literature Book Group: Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio

Dante Italian Book Club: Winter/Spring 2026

Participation is open to all Dante members.  The book selections are mainly by Italian authors of any genre (of course, translated into English).  The group will meet once every 6 weeks, on Friday evening from 5-6:30 pm, in  private homes.  Our self directed group will be facilitated by 5 core members.

 📚 The May  Book Selection  — Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous, Ann Goldstein (translator)

The immigrant tenants of a building in Rome offer skewed accounts of a murder in this prize-winning satire by the Algerian-born Italian author.

Piazza Vittorio is home to a polyglot community of immigrants who have come to Rome from all over the world. But when a tenant is murdered in the building’s elevator, the delicate balance is thrown into disarray. As each of the victim’s neighbors is questioned by the police, readers are offered an all-access pass into the most colorful neighborhood in contemporary Rome.

With language as colorful as the neighborhood it describes, each character takes his or her turn “giving evidence.” Their various stories reveal much about the drama of racial identity and the anxieties of a life spent on society’s margins, but also bring to life the hilarious imbroglios of this melting pot Italian culture.

*the size of the group is limited to 10 members.  If you are not yet a paid member of Dante, sign-up here.