«Il lettore più esigente». Ventiquattro voci per un dizionario di lettere di Franco Fortini

Abstract

Fortini’s intellectual work might seem far removed from any divulgative intent, given its density, rigor, high style, and complexity. In reality, however, Fortini devoted much of his life to popularization, beginning with his articles in Vittorini’s «Politecnico». A constant feature of this body of work is the writing of encyclopedia entries: some were later collected in Nuovi saggi italiani, while others make up entire volumes, such as Ventiquattro voci per un dizionario di lettere and Non solo oggi. Cinquantanove voci. The essay retraces Fortini’s history as an encyclopedist, focusing on Ventiquattro voci, which offers a lucid and unflinching inquiry into the condition of the intellectual in neo-capitalist society, the relationship between humanism and the economic sphere, and the problematic necessity of reaching a non-specialist audience.