America amara [Bitter America]. Firenze: Sansoni, 1940.
Title
America amara [Bitter America]. Firenze: Sansoni, 1940.
Description
Cecchi was a literary and arts critic and writer, born in Firenze, who worked there and in Rome. He was a friend both of Giovanni Pappini, philosopher and writer, and of Giovanni Gentile, the "philosopher of fascism." Durante notes that Cecchi was late in coming to appreciate the quality of Arturo Giovannitti's poetry.
America amara contains essays he wrote for the Corriere della Sera from his year in America, 1930-31, and also more recent essays from another year he spent in the U.S., on the west coast (1937-38).
His other connection with America is that in 1942, Cecchi used his literary celebrity to endorse the publication of Americana, a compilation from contemporary American "narratori" (story tellers) that had been put together by Elio Vittorini, an outspoken Milanese critic of Mussolini. The book had been blocked by Fascist censors in 1941. Cecchi adapted the book to the political and military situation of the times by substituting for Vittorini's original an introduction denouncing the "letteratura impegnata" (politicized literature) and "democracy" of the U.S.
After an abrupt change in Italian politics in 1943, Cecchi would insist that the commitment implicit in his more political actions under the fascist regime had reflected his strong Italian patriotism rather than any sort of political endorsement of the Fascist government.
America amara contains essays he wrote for the Corriere della Sera from his year in America, 1930-31, and also more recent essays from another year he spent in the U.S., on the west coast (1937-38).
His other connection with America is that in 1942, Cecchi used his literary celebrity to endorse the publication of Americana, a compilation from contemporary American "narratori" (story tellers) that had been put together by Elio Vittorini, an outspoken Milanese critic of Mussolini. The book had been blocked by Fascist censors in 1941. Cecchi adapted the book to the political and military situation of the times by substituting for Vittorini's original an introduction denouncing the "letteratura impegnata" (politicized literature) and "democracy" of the U.S.
After an abrupt change in Italian politics in 1943, Cecchi would insist that the commitment implicit in his more political actions under the fascist regime had reflected his strong Italian patriotism rather than any sort of political endorsement of the Fascist government.
Creator
Emilio Cecchi
Publisher
Sansoni
Date
1940
Format
20.5 x 14.5cm; 407 p.
Language
Italian
Collection
Citation
Emilio Cecchi, “America amara [Bitter America]. Firenze: Sansoni, 1940.,” Italian-Language American Imprints: The Periconi Collection, accessed April 28, 2024, https://italianamericanimprints.omeka.net/items/show/45.
Comments