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.