Leopardi is the greatest Italian poet since Dante and Petrarch.

He should be just as famous, however, for this prose work, which is a collection of short essays and philosophical dialogues.

Cecchetti is an eminently qualified translator, and this California Press paperback gives you a marvelous opportunity to revel in what is indisputably a neglected (in English, at least)
Major Work.

If you like Beckett, or especially the philosophy of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, or even Kafka and Borges, you will also find reading Leopardi a superb, rewarding experience!

I bought this book about four years ago as a requirement for an Italian class at Texas A&M. My professor was Raymond Petrillo, the translator of this book and a close friend of the author. When I saw this book on the required reading for the class, I thought Petrillo was just trying to pad his pocket, but I didn't have any problem humoring him. Some of the pieces in this book are a little goofy and I wouldn't have put them on paper myself, but others were 'incredibile'. The author poured a lot of his soul into this book (and so did the translator).

We memorized several sections out of the book which helped my vocabulary and grammar tremendously, but I learned more about being Italian than I did speaking Italian from this book. I'm glad my prof had us read Contrappunti, and I understand now that it wasn't just so he could earn a few more royalties. You should buy it and help pad my professor's pocket - you'll be glad you did.

Grazie, Professore. I miss you and your class.