An investigation of the effects of the Reconstruction period on Italian writers’ literary tellings of the social and economic metamorphosis of Italy.

In the aftermath of the Reconstruction era, immediately after the Second World War, Italy experienced an unprecedented phase of economic development, which transformed it from a traditionally agricultural and impoverished country into one of Europe’s most industrialized nations. The idea, treasured to this day by many Italians, that this period represents a golden age has been increasingly called into question by historical research that has unveiled the evident contradictions of Italian society at the time. 

Mapping Post-War Italian Literature examines the “boom years” and their legacy to explore the long-lasting impact of post-war Italy’s urbanization and modernization on the imagination of Italian writers. Brecciaroli looks at how transformations affecting Italy’s leading industrial cities of the North, specifically Milan and Turin, as well as the provinces have been conceptualized in contemporary novels and travel accounts. The selected texts cross genre boundaries and reflect an array of literary perspectives, giving a compelling and multifaceted account of the post-war historical transition.