Wearied by his life as an administrator at the Duke's court in Weimar, in 1786 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe departed unannounced in the middle of the night for what had been the destination of his imagination since childhood: Italy. His extended stay there dramatically affected his views of art, architecture, prose, poetry, and science. When he returned to Germany and Weimar, Goethe's experiences translated into his life and work in ways that influenced countless others as they developed Germany's own brand of high culture. The Spell of Italy: Vacation, Magic, and the Attraction of Goethe tracks the peculiar space Italy occupies in the cultural consciousness of German writers by reconsidering the Italian journeys of Goethe and Winckelmann and the legacy of those journeys in the works of Heine, Nietzsche, Freud, Mann, Carossa, and Bachmann. Author Richard Block contests previous assumptions about Italy as a place to encounter classical culture and creative rebirth. His study examines the degree to which Germany's literary and cultural traditions appropriated a phantasmic Italy, showing how Winckelmann's art history and Goethe's Italian journey predisposed later writers to search for an aesthetic ideal in Italy that did not exist, and how their search for this absent ideal eventually resulted in disillusionment and deception. Building on previous work on Goethe, literary theory, and cultural history, The Spell of Italy offers compelling new ways of understanding Germany's fascination with Italy from the eighteenth century to its troubled political history of the twentieth century.

Montenero Val Cocchiara is usually referred to simply as Montenero, or Mundunur in the local dialect. Montenero is a typical mountain village on the border of the Abruzzo and Molise regions, but it is more than that. Its history was tinted by contacts with numerous powerful groups over many centuries. The village and its people prove to be unique, but they also are highly embued with elements common to all in South Italy. Of course it is the hope of the author that anyone with roots in South Italy will benefit from reading this book. However, his much greater aspiration is that others will equally enjoy the story of Montenero as a metaphor of their own ancestral village or town, regardless of country or even see the village as a microcosm of the world where the forces of history and culture forge the character of people.

"Embark on a enchanting journey through the cultural and artistic wonders of Italy with Lilian Whiting in 'Italy the Magic Land.' This travelogue, penned in the early 20th century, is a literary exploration of Italy's timeless beauty, rich history, and the allure that has captivated travelers for centuries. Whiting's narrative takes readers through the iconic landscapes of Italy, from the romantic canals of Venice to the ancient ruins of Rome and the picturesque countryside. Through her eloquent prose, she unveils the magic woven into the very fabric of Italy – its art, architecture, and the warmth of its people. 'Italy the Magic Land' is more than a travel narrative; it's a celebration of the extraordinary and the ordinary, an invitation to savor the essence of Italy. Join Whiting on this literary expedition where each page reveals a new layer of the country's enchantment, making it an essential read for those who dream of exploring the magic that is Italy."

Ancient magical practices to integrate into everyday life. Drawing on her Italian strega (witch) heritage, Rose Inserra's guide to the folk magic of this ancient culture is a treasure trove of Italian folklore, customs, magic and healing practices that will simplify your life and declutter your mind and heart. These practices fulfill the most basic needs of life: warmth, nourishment and connection to the magical and the spiritual. Discover unique Italian witchcraft such as spells, charms and curse removal and learn how to make divination tools, protective amulets and invocations. You'll also find kitchen and herbal witchery with natural remedies to create, spells for love and potions, and recipes for food, wine and even beauty. Delve into Italian spiritual practices and learn about dreams, divination and working with your ancestors, saints and angels, deities, fairies and nature spirits. Brimming with history, culture, remedies, folklore, recipes and – most of all – magic, this book is for anyone fascinated by ancient magical practices with deep connections to nature and the environment – or who wants to discover their Italian heritage.

The ninth edition of the Italian Conference on Computational Linguistics (CLiC-it 2023) was held from 30th November to 2nd December 2023 at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, in the beautiful venue of the Auditorium Santa Margherita - Emanuele Severino. After the edition of 2020, which was organized in fully virtual mode due to the health emergency related to Covid-19, and CLiC-it 2021, which was held in hybrid mode, with CLiC-it 2023 we are back to a fully in-presence conference. Overall, almost 210 participants registered to the conference, confirming that the community is eager to meet in person and to enjoy both the scientific and social events together with the colleagues.