New illustrated edition of Spoon River Anthology by Giovanni Scarduelli

A new illustrated edition of Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology has been published by Mondadori, featuring 372 pages of poetry accompanied by vivid, timeless illustrations by Italian cartoonist and illustrator Giovanni "Gioz" Scarduelli. The original work, composed between 1914 and 1915, was brought to Italy by Cesare Pavese, who entrusted its translation to the very young Fernanda Pivano in 1943, cleverly bypassing Fascist censorship. The anthology became one of the best-selling poetry collections of the 20th century, inspiring films, theater adaptations, and Fabrizio De André's concept album "Non al denaro, non all'amore né al cielo." Scarduelli began illustrating the poems in late summer 2018, sparked by a moment when he looked at the cover of his copy—featuring Grant Wood's "American Gothic"—and wondered what the characters of Spoon River might look like. He started with the poem "Franklin Jones," drawing inspiration from cemeteries and old magazines to capture the faces of characters such as Frank Drummer, Flossie Cabanis, Francis Turner, Seth Compton, and Arlo Will. The edition includes an introduction by Marco Malvaldi, who calls the work "one of the most sincere books of poetry ever conceived." Scarduelli describes the characters as "travel companions" and notes that the anthology's enduring value lies in its ability to remain relevant and grow with readers, offering new insights with each reading.