An unusual bookstore just opened its doors in Naples one that emphatically places emotions at the center of the literary experience. Luce, Italy's first 'emotional bookstore,' invites visitors to explore books through the lens of feelings rather than traditional genre classifications, creating a deliberate counterpoint to hardening cultural forces.Founded by Neapolitan author Lorenzo Marone and family mediator Roberta Nicodemo, the 'libreria emotiva' organizes books based on four primary emotions: joy, anger, sadness and anxiety. The bookstore emerges at a moment when anti-feminist rhetoric and segments of the manosphere championing emotional detachment have gained prominence and power. In contrast, Luce deliberately reclaims and celebrates qualities traditionally dismissed as feminine weaknesses emotional intelligence, vulnerability and empathy repositioning them as essential strengths and catalysts for social connection and social change.The 100-square-meter space, which opened on 30 March 2025, aims to be "a light in the emotional and empathic void," explicitly championing women's voices and perspectives. "Luce seeks to recall the illuminating strength of women, giving space to their determination and view of the world," explains Marone. Beyond selling books, the venue hosts workshops on emotional literacy and critical thinking, transforming reading into what the founders describe as an act of resistance.
