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Category: European Reading Room

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Alternative Public Forums for Italian Women Authors and Readers at the Turn of the 19th Century

Posted by: Taru Spiegel

(The following is a post by Lucia Wolf, reference librarian for Italy, European Division.) Although Italy has a long history of celebrated female authors, women’s writing in that country really began to flourish in the 19th century, thanks to the proliferation of journals that provided public forums for women to express themselves. The Library of …

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Talleyrand: A Diplomat Par Excellence

Posted by: Taru Spiegel

(The following is a post by Taru Spiegel, reference specialist, European Division.) During his lifetime, and for quite some time after that, the legendary French politician and diplomat, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838), was a much-discussed, controversial figure both at home and abroad. He managed to survive, and significantly influence, conflicting trends during the French Revolution …

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Italian Fashion Periodicals and Nation-building in the 19th Century

Posted by: Anchi Hoh

(The following is a post by Lucia Wolf, reference librarian for Italy, European Division.) Bella figura in Italian literally means “beautiful appearance.” The term is used worldwide to define the essence of Italian style, and refers to Italians’ ability to infuse their daily lives with style and beauty, combined with their natural sense of pleasure …