Written almost 150 years ago, The Adventures of Pinocchio presents core themes that are as relevant today as they were at the time of the tale’s first publication. This talk explores the different levels of meaning of Collodi’s masterpiece. On the surface the novel is a wry satire on many defining characteristics of the Italians. The talk goes on to analyze The Adventures from a twenty-first century perspective: in our age of fake news, authoritarianism, and AI, the story reflects matters that are increasing in significance and consequence.

Anna Kraczyna was born and raised in Florence, Italy by American artist parents and has been a translator and a simultaneous interpreter for thirty years. She lectures on Italian language, literature, and culture at American universities and colleges in Florence. Kraczyna’s research on The Adventures of Pinocchio led to her coauthor an article for The New York Times in 2019 and, in 2021, to a coauthored annotated translation of The Adventures of Pinocchio for Penguin Classics.