May 21. The Common in the (Eternal) City

The event will shed light on Italy’s eternal pleasures of work and play. You will find typical Italian food, wine, aperitivi, music, dancing, and a unique auction for handwritten postcards.

Antonio Monda (Courtesy Vogue Magazine)

The gala, which takes place once a year, brings together major writers, editors, agents, curators, filmmakers, media professionals, and booklovers to support The Common’s commitment to promote writers and works in translation around the world, sponsor public programming, and distribute notable works in handsome print and digital formats. Launched in 2011 by editor-in-chief Jennifer Acker, The Common is an award-winning print and online magazine based in Amherst College.

The magazine gets its name from the town common, where ideas were once exchanged and art displayed. It publishes literature and artwork that feature a bold modern sense of place. The Common print issues feature many established international authors as well as emerging ones. This year’s silent auction will highlight wonderful Italian design items, such as an Olivetti Valentine typewriter (donated by Salvatore Ferrante) and works of enduring literary value, such as a letterpress edition of Julius Caesar, donated by the Folio Society.

Ther will also be a unique postcard auction, in which the highest bidder gives as a gift or receives a handwritten postcard from an author of her choice. Authors who have already committed to donating postcards include Francesca Marciano, Julia Glass, Garrison Keillor, Scott Turow, Anthony Doerr, Pico Iyer, Alice Sebold, and Alexander McCall Smith.

Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, NYU
20 Cooper Square ◗
www. thecommononline.org