The Legacy of Benedetto Croce: contemporary critical views

Abstract

Benedetto Croce was the foremost Italian philosopher of the first half of the twentieth century and his influence extended to every aspect of intellectual life in Italy. He played a significant, sometimes crucial, role in Italian politics, and his writing commanded attention throughout Europe, America, and beyond. In the last few years his contribution to various disciplines has been undergoing a re-evaluation in Italy. This collection continues that reassessment with an English-speaking audience in mind. The book is a collection of essays by scholars from various disciplines - philosophy, history, literature, and art history - covering the broad scope of Croce's life and work, from his early writings on local Neopolitan history in the 1890s to his activity as a public figure before and after the Second World War. In this much-needed addition to contemporary criticism one senses the depth and originality of his thought in the areas of history, national politics, rhetoric, and art. Including the first English-language discussion of Taccuini di lavoro, Croce's working diary, this is the first volume in English that provides a critical survey of Croce's major works and ideas, as well as fresh interpretations from a variety of contemporary points of view.