City of Literature - Wikipedia

City of Literature - Wikipedia

53 Cities designated 'City of Literature' by UNESCO

Criteria for Cities of Literature[edit]

To be approved as a City of Literature, cities need to meet a number of criteria set by UNESCO.^[2]

Designated UNESCO Cities of Literature share similar characteristics:

• Quality, quantity, and diversity of publishing in the city
• Quality and quantity of educational programmes focusing on domestic or foreign literature at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels
• Literature, drama, and/or poetry playing an important role in the city
• Hosting literary events and festivals, which promote domestic and foreign literature
• Existence of libraries, bookstores, and public or private cultural centres, which preserve, promote, and disseminate domestic and foreign literature
• Involvement by the publishing sector in translating literary works from diverse national languages and foreign literature
• Active involvement of traditional and new media in promoting literature and strengthening the market for literary products

Cities submit bids to UNESCO to be designated a City of Literature. The designations are monitored and reviewed every four years by UNESCO.

On Zola - French literature

Why is a Emile Zola an important writer in the history of French literature?

Émile Zola is considered an important writer in the history of French literature for several reasons:

Naturalism: Zola is considered a pioneer of the Naturalist movement in French literature, which emphasized a scientifically based, realistic depiction of the world. His works often dealt with social issues, such as poverty and class struggles, and were based on detailed observations of everyday life.


Socially conscious themes: Zola was interested in exploring the social and political issues of his time, such as the exploitation of the working class and the corruption of the political and economic systems. His works aimed to shed light on these issues and to bring about change.


Innovative storytelling: Zola's writing style was innovative for his time, as he incorporated elements of scientific observation and detailed descriptions of characters and settings into his works. This helped to create a more immersive, realistic world for his readers.


The Rougon-Macquart series: Zola's most famous work is the Rougon-Macquart series, a cycle of 20 novels that trace the lives of two families over several generations. This epic work is considered one of the great masterpieces of French literature, and remains widely read and studied today.


Influence on future writers: Zola's works have had a lasting impact on French literature, influencing a number of writers who came after him, both in France and internationally. His ideas about the role of literature in society and his commitment to using literature as a tool for social change continue to inspire writers and artists to this day.

For these reasons, Émile Zola is considered a major figure in the history of French literature, and his works remain widely read and studied today.

Immortals

There's insight in the book, of course, and one piece that got my attention was Larry's comment  "Do we all need to be immortals?" (page 207 in Chp 1 of Part II in my edition) 

Earlier, Charity is described as the 'President of the Immortals' (top of page 191)...she has plans for glory for each and every one of her family and friends.

Upward Mobility

The upward mobility theme connected for me in this book. Did you ever have friendships that seemed to be a 'go' only if you kept up with the Jones'?

More impressions about Crossing to Safety

• I enjoyed the enthusiasm and description of the two couples visiting Florence for a whole year. It was one of many interesting parts of the book for me.