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Book of the Week: Letters from Italy

Book of the Week: Letters from Italy: Episode 5: Annalisa Piras

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Annalisa Piras

Episode 5

Episode 5: Annalisa Piras

Letters from Italy

BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week, Letters from Italy, Annalisa Piras

Annalisa Piras, an Italian journalist based in London, delivers a letter about Italy today

Annalisa Piras, an Italian journalist based in London, delivers a letter about Italy today.

5 leading Italians deliver letters about Italy today, the dangers and the possibilities.

The last of five Letters from Italy at a time of huge upheaval in that country. The week ends with the thoughts of Annalisa Piras, the London based journalist and author of the recent TV documentary 'Girlfriend in a Coma'.

Annalisa's letter was written while on a recent holiday in her native country and so comes with the distant observation of one who spends time watching developments from a distance. She understands the British view of Italy and is concerned and puzzled that a political system that she used to understand seems to have become even more confusing and unfathomable. 

Her letter takes her from the Tuscan countryside to Rome, to the coast and then, for her concluding thoughts back to London where she reflects on what is happening and what might happen as Italy continues to teeter on the edge of economic crisis. 

At a time when Italy's political and economic fragility is in the spotlight, 5 leading Italian figures deliver a letter about Italy today, the dangers and the future possibilities.

Five letters from leading Italians from the fields of politics, economics, television, art and journalism.
At a time when Italy is in the spotlight, both for the changing of the Pope but more especially for the recent election results and the economic fragility that has brought austerity and anger, each of the letter writer talks about their sense of Italy today, it's challenges, the dangers it faces and the possibilities for the future.

This week's contributors will be:

Prof Gustavo Piga is an economist at Rome University.

Lucia Annunziata is editor of the Huffington Post, Italy but spent many years in Italian television including a period as head of RIA, the Italian equivalent of the BBC.

Carlo Sibilia is a member of the new Five Stars Movement lead by Beppe Grillo, the new and surprising force in Italian politics.

Dacia Maraini is a novelist and playwright and an established figure in the Italian literary landscape.

Annalisa Piras is an Italian Journalist based in London.

Producer: Tom Alban.

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Leading Italian figures write about Italy today, the dangers and the possibilities

At a time when Italy's political and economic fragility is in the spotlight, five leading Italian figures deliver a letter about Italy today, the dangers and the future possibilities

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