We third-year secondary school students met the writer Zita Dazzi on Monday, April 8, 2024. It was an online meeting, since the author lives far away, and it involved both third-year classes. The meeting, although remote, was very interesting.
Zita Dazzi was born on November 1, 1975. She is an Italian journalist and writer; she lived in Rome until she was 14, then attended Liceo Parini in Milan and later graduated in Political Science in New York.
In 2008, Zita published her first book, “La banda dei gelsomini”; she has won many journalistic and literary awards.
Today she teaches at the Master’s program of the Walter Tobagi School of Journalism at the State University of Milan.
During the meeting, we students asked her various questions about the book we had read, “La valigia di Adou,” published by Feltrinelli in 2017.
The first question, asked by Giorgia, a classmate from III B, was: “Why did you give two of your characters the names Oreste and Luigina?” Zita answered: “I wanted to call them that because they are particular names.”
On behalf of everyone, Giorgia also asked if she was satisfied with her book, and the author answered yes and then added: “Above all, I am happy about all the meetings with students, because they are very interesting.”
Carlotta, another classmate, then asked her another question: “Have you ever received criticism?” She answered no, but she confided that many people told her what had worked and what had not in her books.
“Do you see yourself in the story?” This was the question addressed to the author by the students of 3A, and she answered yes, that she particularly identified with the educator.
As a final question, we asked her what she wanted to do when she was little, and she confided that she did not like writing, but then, as she started reading and especially as she grew up, she changed her mind and thus became what she is now.
The meeting with Zita Dazzi was interesting and pleasant; we were not bored at all; it was an experience that will remain in our hearts!
Article written by a III B student
