Gli 'ismi' contemporanei : (Verismo, Simbolismo, Idealismo, Cosmopolitanismo) ed altri saggi di critica letteraria ed artistica

In this lively collection of literary essays, the author opens with a witty dialogue between two readers lamenting the cost of books and the French dominance of the publishing market. Their banter sets a playful yet critical tone for a series of observations on the state of Italian letters at the turn of the century.

The essays then examine the main ‘isms’ of the period—verismo, symbolism, idealism and a budding cosmopolitanism—by comparing Italian output with French trends. The writer discusses how market forces, translation practices, and national self‑image shape what readers receive, offering concrete examples from realist novels to Symbolist poetry, all grounded in vivid everyday literary life.

Presented in a clear, conversational voice, the collection makes scholarly insight accessible and invites listeners to rethink assumptions about literary value and cultural exchange, offering an engaging glimpse into debates that still resonate today.