Genesis of a work of art

Mondadori's prestigious "I Meridiani" collection wouldn't have been complete without the works of Alessandro Manzoni: given however that "I promessi sposi" is one of the foundation stones of Italian literature, published by virtually every publishing company, Mondadori was determined to take a different approach, presenting the volume in an original manner.
This determination led to the creation of a superb three-volume edition: "Fermo e Lucia" and "I promessi sposi" published in 1827 and 1840 respectively, plus "La storia della colonna infame" as an appendix: the editor responsible for the project is Salvatore Silvano Nigro, professor of Italian literature at the universities of Catania and Yale, assisted by Ermanno Paccagnini, professor of Italian literature at the Catholic University of Brescia for "La storia della colonna infame". Research carried out by Nigro produced significant findings, perfectly elucidated in the ample prefaces to the volumes: worth noting, his belief that Manzoni was the standard-bearer of the idea of the novel as a journey, a "journey" however as intended by Sterne or Cervantes rather than by Scott or Richardson.
Moreover, the comments - this is the first time, it should be noted, that "Fermo e Lucia" is published with annotations - highlight the relationships between the three moments of Manzoni's narrative project, underlining both figurative and literary sources in equal measure. In a similar way, the illustrations by Gonin (which adorned the 1840 edition and are here reproduced anastatically) constitute a sort of parallel novel or even more than that, considering the obsessive care with which the eminent Milan author checked and scrutinized each one. Lastly, in the wonderful "Storia della colonna infame" one can detect Manzoni's gradual shift from the formula of the totally fictional novel towards purer forms of expression: the author's first attempts at essays, here still in the early stages, were later to develop, ultimately producing the interesting and regrettably unfinished "Storia della rivoluzione francese" (published posthumously in 1889). Lasting testimony to the intellectual inquisitiveness and wide field of interests of an author who remains one of the great men of literature of all times. 

Alessandro Manzoni 
I promessi sposi ( 2 volumes) 
2388 pages, 
98 euros
and 
Fermo e Lucia
1544 pages
49 euros
I Meridiani Mondadori

Genesis of a work of art

Mondadori's prestigious "I Meridiani" collection wouldn't have been complete without the works of Alessandro Manzoni: given however that "I promessi sposi" is one of the foundation stones of Italian literature, published by virtually every publishing company, Mondadori was determined to take a different approach, presenting the volume in an original manner.
This determination led to the creation of a superb three-volume edition: "Fermo e Lucia" and "I promessi sposi" published in 1827 and 1840 respectively, plus "La storia della colonna infame" as an appendix: the editor responsible for the project is Salvatore Silvano Nigro, professor of Italian literature at the universities of Catania and Yale, assisted by Ermanno Paccagnini, professor of Italian literature at the Catholic University of Brescia for "La storia della colonna infame". Research carried out by Nigro produced significant findings, perfectly elucidated in the ample prefaces to the volumes: worth noting, his belief that Manzoni was the standard-bearer of the idea of the novel as a journey, a "journey" however as intended by Sterne or Cervantes rather than by Scott or Richardson.
Moreover, the comments - this is the first time, it should be noted, that "Fermo e Lucia" is published with annotations - highlight the relationships between the three moments of Manzoni's narrative project, underlining both figurative and literary sources in equal measure. In a similar way, the illustrations by Gonin (which adorned the 1840 edition and are here reproduced anastatically) constitute a sort of parallel novel or even more than that, considering the obsessive care with which the eminent Milan author checked and scrutinized each one. Lastly, in the wonderful "Storia della colonna infame" one can detect Manzoni's gradual shift from the formula of the totally fictional novel towards purer forms of expression: the author's first attempts at essays, here still in the early stages, were later to develop, ultimately producing the interesting and regrettably unfinished "Storia della rivoluzione francese" (published posthumously in 1889). Lasting testimony to the intellectual inquisitiveness and wide field of interests of an author who remains one of the great men of literature of all times. 

Alessandro Manzoni 
I promessi sposi ( 2 volumes) 
2388 pages, 
98 euros
and 
Fermo e Lucia
1544 pages
49 euros
I Meridiani Mondadori