"Which Gadda should I buy?" Taking stock of Gadda's editions. (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trebaiocchi, Chiara
• Is Part Of: Forum Italicum. Volume 51:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 641
• Page End: 668
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: Carlo Emilio Gadda -- textual philology -- multiplicity and fragmentation -- archival discoveries -- publishing industry; Italian language -- Periodicals; Italian literature -- History and criticism -- Periodicals; Italian literature -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Italy -- Civilization -- Periodicals; 850.5
• DOI: 10.1177/0014585817709272
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0014-5858

Abstract

This article 1 provides an account of the editorial and philological history of Carlo Emilio Gadda's works. In particular, this paper seeks to offer useful guidelines to the reader who wants to approach the fascinating theme of Gaddian philology with a clear overview of the internal and external problems related to Gadda's writings, focusing on Dante Isella's philological approach and editorial achievements, and also on the criticism it has received. After considering the discovery of new material in the Liberati Archives, the last part of the essay analyzes the Gaddian volumes recently published by Adelphi, and compares them with the Garzanti editions, so to get closer to the history of Gadda's works, with a shift from the microcosm of varianti (variants), postille (annotations) and apparati (apparati) to the macrocosm of publishing choices around his texts. A better understanding of these editorial shifts, new editions, high and low points in the production of Gadda's texts will reveal the complexities of a process that has contributed significantly to the author's critical reception and cultural status, finally providing new material for scholars' insights.