The Empire of Stereotypes Germaine de Stal and the Idea of Italy [Paperback]

This book places Germaine de Stael's influential novel, Corrine, or Italy (1807) in relation to preceding and subsequent stereotypes of Italy as seen in the works of Northern European and American travel writers since the Renaissance.Decline and Discovery The Debate over Italy The Empire of Stereotypes Italy as Other: The Carnival and the Swamp Children of Vulcan

'In this impeccably written and comprehensively researched book, Casillo takes Madame de Sta?l seriously as the superlative cultural analyst that she so clearly was for her contemporaries. Confronting the stereotypes of travelers with the assessments of historians, political scientists, and sociologists, Casillo reveals what Italy and the Italians have meant over three centuries. The result is a tour de force.' - Priscilla Parkhurst Ferguson, Professor of Sociology, Columbia University

'An intricate and cogent account of the perception of Italy through the centuries.' - Massimo Bacigalupo, Professor of English and American Literature, University of Genoa

'The Grand Tour through Italy has been an obligatory step in the education of young and old for almost three centuries. Desired, imagined, praised, and criticized, Italy has become overridden with clich?s and commonplaces. Beginning with Madame de Sta?l's Corinne, ou l'Italie, Casillo examines with perceptive depth and rich knowledge the origin of the stereotypes surrounding 'Il Bel Paese.' This is a precious contribution.' - Giovanna Franci, Professor of English and American Literature, University of Bologna

'This is an invaluable book. Rich in deep and original analyses of the cultural phenomena from the late Renaissance into the twentieth century, it is marked by the intellectual rigor of a profound historical approach. While it employs an interdisciplinary approach to its subject, it also reveals the continuing contemporary relevance of its cultural and political issues.' - Cristina Giorcellilã3