Today we present the interview with Luisa Reato , Founder and Promoter of Degustibook , that will talk about her fantastic project:

– What is DEGUSTIBOOK ?

First of all, Degustibook is a passion : it’s really exciting having a good book program, like a restaurant menu with a lot of meals served by the book club readers, to read and to taste all year long !
Degustibook is living the book ! This is the club concept, very different form the others. We live the book in all its aspects.
Besides reading and commenting, we visit and discover the cities discussed in a particular book . We admire it by visiting art exibitions, always intwined with the book . We listen to it going to the theatre or movies ….maybe with herbal tea and blankets . We live the book with the author when we invite him . And , at last, we taste it ! Degustibook is a gourmand appointment : every time the host offers an opulent buffet of delicious food and superb delicacy baked by her and , when possible, the house and the table are like a movie setting inspired by the book . Every appointment gets a memorable event.
How Degustibook was born and how many members does it have now ?
Degustibook was born exactly 10 years ago. This year we are celebrating the anniversary ! When I came back to live in Italy from Chicago , USA, I decided to bring with me a healthy neighborhood habit : the book club ! In the United States it is very popular and I joined the street book club. I modified the format according to the Italian lifestyle and we started a small group of dear ,passionate ,book lovers that enjoy hanging out together along with a good tea and commenting on a nice book.
Today Degustibook is still a funny and female book club but we have grown in number …infact we have founded a second book club in the city with already 15 members. It has also became a non-profit cultural association, too ! There are no more sweets and tea but delicious dishes and good wine!The appetite comes while reading !
After all, who cooks better than Emilian ladies ?

– Can you talk about the new association ?

The increase of people and activities has allowed us to decide and create the association and to have a precise identity as a club. Degustibook is a place in which you can express participation, sharing and interest. We would like to promote these cultural values that distinguish us without altering our nature.

– How do you choose the books ?

The real force of this club is in our disparity . What keeps us together, besides the passion for books, is friendship. Thanks to our social , cultural and age diversity , a lot of interpretations pop out when we read a book . In this way, the appointment fires up with hundreds of speeches and most of the time we end up talking about personal life. There’s always a book that relates to you…. These are the funniest evenings ever !
At the beginning of the season , each of us suggests some books . We try to follow every literary genre , while not being repetitive. With a democratic vote we choose the books for all the months to come and we set a calendar for the house meetings. Everybody host at home and we discuss different themes and reflections .Each of us joins the vibrant
discussion bringing our experience and sensibility.

– What are the today and tomorrow projects ?

I do believe if a club is closed in on itself , soon or later it gets stuck on it and it begins to be boring. Any club grows when the projects mature . The importance is not to misrepresent its structure , especially if it works well. We’d never change the style of our evenings. It’s successful keeping a friendly and cozy atmosphere in our homes. It’s so relaxing being in company with good friends , good books and a fantastic glass of wine !
A short term project will be a trip to Naples . We ‘ll be hosted in a particular book society ( LIBRI &CAFFE DEL TEATRO MERCADANTE ) to talk about our experience with another cultural association and talk about the book that brought us there : “ PORPORINO” , an old book by Hernandez on the Neapolitan music origin during the age of the Enlightement , published by Colonnese Editor ,who is also organizing this event.
Another project is creating other book clubs like Degustibook in other cities and organizing charity projects .
Very soon we are taking a reading class just to read better the books to the patients at the hospital. I’m a big fan of GIVE AND TAKE and with our readings we can help people in need .
The few charity projects we joined were unforgettable and touching moments.

Thanks to: Degustibook