If you live in New York City or are just visiting for a few days, and are interested in shopping for books related to the Italian language or attending concerts, films, and lectures related to the Italian language, there are two must-see destinations in Greenwich Village. As pointed out in the New York Times recently in West 12th Street, By The Numbers:
"Thirty is the address of one of the city's most idiosyncratic bookstores, S. F. Vanni. Hours posted on the door of this 65-year-old establishment are not always observed, and, given the general air of déshabillé, it looks closed even when it's open. But it houses myriad Italian-language books, from arcane encylopedias to popular novels, cookbooks and dictionaries.
A few doors east at No. 24, New York University's Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò sponsors Italian-based cultural events like concerts, art exhibitions, films and lectures, many in the suave downstairs auditorium of this mid-19th-century mansion."
S. F. Vanni: 30 West 12th Street (between Fifth & Sixth Avenues) / (212) 675-6336
Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò: 24 West 12th Street (between Fifth & Sixth Avenues) / (212) 998-8730
"Thirty is the address of one of the city's most idiosyncratic bookstores, S. F. Vanni. Hours posted on the door of this 65-year-old establishment are not always observed, and, given the general air of déshabillé, it looks closed even when it's open. But it houses myriad Italian-language books, from arcane encylopedias to popular novels, cookbooks and dictionaries.
A few doors east at No. 24, New York University's Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò sponsors Italian-based cultural events like concerts, art exhibitions, films and lectures, many in the suave downstairs auditorium of this mid-19th-century mansion."
S. F. Vanni: 30 West 12th Street (between Fifth & Sixth Avenues) / (212) 675-6336
Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò: 24 West 12th Street (between Fifth & Sixth Avenues) / (212) 998-8730
Comments
Thanks a lot for the information. Vannis’s is the only bookshop in Manhattan where you can find books in Italian. They have a very good selection of books. The owner speaks Italian perfectly, and he was helpful in finding what I was looking for and we had a nice conversation. It’s a pity that the shop looks a bit run down. It is a place to check out.
Wow, I haven’t been there in a few years now. It’s a genuine New York City legend and irreplaceable. Glad to hear you stepped into the place – and back in time!
I had no idea that store was still open. And, since it is, I can’t believe it’s still in such a shabby state. Vergogna! I’d rather buy Italian-language books online than go there. Agree about Casa Italiana. They have excellent events — films, lectures, performances. A few years ago I saw Alessandro Coppola, leader of the excellent Salento band Nidi D’Arac, give an amazing performance with just his guitar, tamburello (large southern Italian tambourine) and laptop. Also worth checking out is the fairly new website I-Italy. It has two components, a social marketing site (http://www.i-italy.us/) and a magazine (http://www.I-Italy.org). There are many good and informative articles about Italy and Italo-America, in inglese and in italiano. (Full disclosure: I’m a regular contributor to the magazine.) I-Italy also is an excellent place to find out about Italian cultural events in NYC. The site gave extensive coverage to recent NYC shows by popular Italian musicians Jovanotti and Vinicio Capossela.
Lately I’ve been very impressed with i-Italy. Initially, when it was first launched, I thought that both the content and the site navigation/layout were underwhelming. But given time, the site has evolved into a must-read for anyone interested in Italian-American issues.
Complimenti!