Kirjahaku

In an era haunted by its past, modern Europe sought to break with the old; the future and the new became the ideal. In Italy however, where the remains of the past dominated the landscape, ruins were a token both of decadence and of the inspiring legacy of tradition. Sabrina Ferri proposes a counter-narrative to the European story of progress by focusing on the often-marginalized and distinctive case of Italy.For Italians, ruins uncovered the creative potential of the past, transforming it into an inexhaustible source of philosophical speculation and poetic invention whilst simultaneously symbolizing decay, loss and melancholy. Focusing on the representation of ruins by Italian writers, scientists, and artists between the mid-eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Sabrina Ferri explores the culture of the period and traces Italy’s complex relationship with its past. Combining the analysis of major works, from Vico’s New science to Leopardi’s Canti, with that of archival sources and little-studied materials such as scientific travel journals, letters, and political essays, the author reveals how:the ruin became a figure for Italy’s uneasy transition into modernity; the interplay between reflections on the processes of history and speculations on the laws of nature shaped the country’s sense of the past and its vision of the future; the convergence of narratives depicting historical and natural change influenced both the creative arts and the emerging sciences of geology, biology, and archaeology; the temporal crisis at the dawn of the nineteenth century called into question traditional models for investigating the past and understanding the present.

A beautifully illustrated picture book that celebrates girl power, the importance of literacy, and the love of books, Angelina and the Stranger's Name is a classic fairytale with a modern twist. It tells the story of a young girl whose kindness earns her a mysterious and dangerous prize. On a frightful winter night, a stranger comes knocking at her door. Against her better judgment, she offers him hospitality. In exchange, he tells her his magic name and promises her heart's desire if she can remember it for a year. Yet, he warns her that there will be consequences if she forgets it. When the time comes, Angelina realizes that she has been tricked. Forced to give up everything she has ever known and imprisoned in a castle in a distant land, she never gives up hope. She uses her wits to out-trick the trickster and learns the magic and power of reading, which helps her regain control over her destiny. When Angelina's dangerous pact with a mysterious being backfires, she doesn't wait for a prince to rescue her; she takes her fate into her own hands. Good triumphs over evil and a brave heroine finds her own way to happily-ever-after. Angelina and the Stranger's Name is a book for young readers who are not afraid to be their own knight in shining armor. This is a picture book that celebrates girl power, the importance of literacy, and the love of books.