Thea Lenarduzzi is an Anglo-Italian writer, editor and broadcaster best known for exploring migration, memory and cultural identity. She is currently a commissioning editor at the Times Literary Supplement. Lenarduzzi's debut book, Dandelions, won the 2020 Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize and will be published in 2022. This work, which explores the complexities of family migration between Italy and England, was also shortlisted for the 2023 PEN Ackerley Prize.
Born in Erba, northern Italy, in 1986, Lenarduzzi grew up in a bicultural environment with a Liverpudlian mother and an Italian father. This dual heritage shaped her perspectives on identity and belonging, themes she would later explore in her writing. In 2004, Lenarduzzi moved to the UK, where she pursued her passion for literature and cultural studies.
Dandelions is a family memoir and a cultural history, tracing the movements of Lenarduzzi's family through four generations. At the centre of the narrative is her grandmother, Dirce, a former seamstress whose life stories provide a rich tapestry of experiences and memories.
From the Friuli region of Italy to the industrial cities of Sheffield and Manchester, the book captures the emotional and cultural shifts associated with migration. "Where, or what, is home?" Lenarduzzi asks as she pieces together her family's past, revealing how personal stories intersect with wider cultural narratives.
A recurring motif in Dandelions is the title plant, which Lenarduzzi uses to symbolise resilience, adaptability and the richness of ordinary life. The book opens with a vivid image of Dirce gathering dandelion leaves by the side of the road in 1950s Manchester. This act speaks to her connection to her roots and her determination to maintain traditional practices even in a foreign land. This simple yet profound gesture of foraging for wild food underscores the themes of survival and cultural continuity that permeate the memoir.
Lenarduzzi's writing in Dandelions is characterised by its lyrical quality and attention to the intricacies of everyday life. "Even in the so-called banality of everyday life, there is a richness that defies categorisation," she observes, underscoring her belief that significant cultural and personal meaning often lies in the overlooked spaces between grand narratives.
Photo credit: X @thea_lenarduzzi
Born in Erba, northern Italy, in 1986, Lenarduzzi grew up in a bicultural environment with a Liverpudlian mother and an Italian father. This dual heritage shaped her perspectives on identity and belonging, themes she would later explore in her writing. In 2004, Lenarduzzi moved to the UK, where she pursued her passion for literature and cultural studies.
Dandelions is a family memoir and a cultural history, tracing the movements of Lenarduzzi's family through four generations. At the centre of the narrative is her grandmother, Dirce, a former seamstress whose life stories provide a rich tapestry of experiences and memories.
From the Friuli region of Italy to the industrial cities of Sheffield and Manchester, the book captures the emotional and cultural shifts associated with migration. "Where, or what, is home?" Lenarduzzi asks as she pieces together her family's past, revealing how personal stories intersect with wider cultural narratives.
A recurring motif in Dandelions is the title plant, which Lenarduzzi uses to symbolise resilience, adaptability and the richness of ordinary life. The book opens with a vivid image of Dirce gathering dandelion leaves by the side of the road in 1950s Manchester. This act speaks to her connection to her roots and her determination to maintain traditional practices even in a foreign land. This simple yet profound gesture of foraging for wild food underscores the themes of survival and cultural continuity that permeate the memoir.
Lenarduzzi's writing in Dandelions is characterised by its lyrical quality and attention to the intricacies of everyday life. "Even in the so-called banality of everyday life, there is a richness that defies categorisation," she observes, underscoring her belief that significant cultural and personal meaning often lies in the overlooked spaces between grand narratives.
Photo credit: X @thea_lenarduzzi
years of life: 1986 – present
Books
fb2epub
Drag & drop your files
(not more than 5 at once)