What do you think?
Rate this book
Quaderni del carcere #2
Prison Notebooks, Volume 2: 1930-1932
Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937) is widely celebrated as the most original political thinker in Western Marxism and an all-around outstanding intellectual figure. Arrested and imprisoned by the Italian Fascist regime in 1926, Gramsci died before fully regaining his freedom. Nevertheless, in his prison notebooks, he recorded thousands of brilliant reflections on an extraordinary range of subjects, establishing an enduring intellectual legacy.
Columbia University Press's multivolume Prison Notebooks is the only complete critical edition of Antonio Gramsci's seminal writings in English. The notebooks' integral text gives readers direct access not only to Gramsci's influential ideas but also to the intellectual workshop where those ideas were forged. Extensive notes guide readers through Gramsci's extraordinary series of reflections on an encyclopedic range of topics. Volume 2 contains Gramsci's notebooks 3, 4, and 5, written between 1930 and 1932. Their central themes are popular culture, Italian history, Americanism, and the Catholic Church as a religious institution and formidable politico-ideological force. Gramsci also touches on the Renaissance and Reformation, language and linguistics, military and diplomatic history, and Japanese and Chinese culture. Notebook 4 features an innovative reading of canto 10 from Dante's Inferno and a philosophical analysis of materialism and idealism. It also includes the first draft of Gramsci's famous observations on the history and role of intellectuals in society.
Columbia University Press's multivolume Prison Notebooks is the only complete critical edition of Antonio Gramsci's seminal writings in English. The notebooks' integral text gives readers direct access not only to Gramsci's influential ideas but also to the intellectual workshop where those ideas were forged. Extensive notes guide readers through Gramsci's extraordinary series of reflections on an encyclopedic range of topics. Volume 2 contains Gramsci's notebooks 3, 4, and 5, written between 1930 and 1932. Their central themes are popular culture, Italian history, Americanism, and the Catholic Church as a religious institution and formidable politico-ideological force. Gramsci also touches on the Renaissance and Reformation, language and linguistics, military and diplomatic history, and Japanese and Chinese culture. Notebook 4 features an innovative reading of canto 10 from Dante's Inferno and a philosophical analysis of materialism and idealism. It also includes the first draft of Gramsci's famous observations on the history and role of intellectuals in society.
728 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1948
5 people are currently reading
709 people want to read
About the author
Antonio Gramsci
519Ìýbooks904ÌýfollowersAntonio Francesco Gramsci was an Italian Marxist philosopher, linguist, journalist, writer, and politician. He wrote on philosophy, political theory, sociology, history, and linguistics. He was a founding member and one-time leader of the Italian Communist Party. A vocal critic of Benito Mussolini and fascism, he was imprisoned in 1926, where he remained until his death in 1937.
During his imprisonment, Gramsci wrote more than 30 notebooks and 3,000 pages of history and analysis. His Prison Notebooks are considered a highly original contribution to 20th-century political theory. Gramsci drew insights from varying sources � not only other Marxists but also thinkers such as Niccolò Machiavelli, Vilfredo Pareto, Georges Sorel, and Benedetto Croce. The notebooks cover a wide range of topics, including the history of Italy and Italian nationalism, the French Revolution, fascism, Taylorism and Fordism, civil society, the state, historical materialism, folklore, religion, and high and popular culture.
Gramsci is best known for his theory of cultural hegemony, which describes how the state and ruling capitalist class � the bourgeoisie � use cultural institutions to maintain wealth and power in capitalist societies. In Gramsci's view, the bourgeoisie develops a hegemonic culture using ideology rather than violence, economic force, or coercion. He also attempted to break from the economic determinism of orthodox Marxist thought, and so is sometimes described as a neo-Marxist. He held a humanistic understanding of Marxism, seeing it as a philosophy of praxis and an absolute historicism that transcends traditional materialism and traditional idealism.
During his imprisonment, Gramsci wrote more than 30 notebooks and 3,000 pages of history and analysis. His Prison Notebooks are considered a highly original contribution to 20th-century political theory. Gramsci drew insights from varying sources � not only other Marxists but also thinkers such as Niccolò Machiavelli, Vilfredo Pareto, Georges Sorel, and Benedetto Croce. The notebooks cover a wide range of topics, including the history of Italy and Italian nationalism, the French Revolution, fascism, Taylorism and Fordism, civil society, the state, historical materialism, folklore, religion, and high and popular culture.
Gramsci is best known for his theory of cultural hegemony, which describes how the state and ruling capitalist class � the bourgeoisie � use cultural institutions to maintain wealth and power in capitalist societies. In Gramsci's view, the bourgeoisie develops a hegemonic culture using ideology rather than violence, economic force, or coercion. He also attempted to break from the economic determinism of orthodox Marxist thought, and so is sometimes described as a neo-Marxist. He held a humanistic understanding of Marxism, seeing it as a philosophy of praxis and an absolute historicism that transcends traditional materialism and traditional idealism.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 30, 2023
"Il mio motto è sempre stato: pessimismo dell'intelligenza, ottimismo della volontà ."
Lettura profonda e commovente delle lettere scritte da Gramsci ai familiari durante i suoi anni di prigionia. Dall'epistolario emergono diverse sfaccettature della personalità e delle terribili condizioni del prigioniero: la sua salute precaria, le sofferenze fisiche, il morale sempre più fiaccato dalla tortura del carcere fascista. Ciò nonostante, mantiene una dignità e una lucidità che non possono non suscitare commozione e ammirazione.
L'aspetto forse più coinvolgente emotivamente riguarda i rapporti di Gramsci con i familiari, dei quali seguiamo lo sviluppo attraverso le lettere. L'affetto ma anche i rimproveri alla cognata, il difficile rapporto con la moglie, e soprattutto la grande sofferenza nel cercare di stabilire una relazione con i figli. Le lettere ai bambini sono forse quelle con più carica emotiva, tanto è commovente lo sforzo dell'autore di avvicinarsi come padre a dei figli che non può vedere crescere.
Leggere queste lettere permette di comprendere meglio la figura di Gramsci al di là del suo pensiero politico e del suo contributo intellettuale. L'aspetto privato è fondamentale per avere un'idea della statura morale di un uomo che ha segnato la storia d'Italia.
Lettura profonda e commovente delle lettere scritte da Gramsci ai familiari durante i suoi anni di prigionia. Dall'epistolario emergono diverse sfaccettature della personalità e delle terribili condizioni del prigioniero: la sua salute precaria, le sofferenze fisiche, il morale sempre più fiaccato dalla tortura del carcere fascista. Ciò nonostante, mantiene una dignità e una lucidità che non possono non suscitare commozione e ammirazione.
L'aspetto forse più coinvolgente emotivamente riguarda i rapporti di Gramsci con i familiari, dei quali seguiamo lo sviluppo attraverso le lettere. L'affetto ma anche i rimproveri alla cognata, il difficile rapporto con la moglie, e soprattutto la grande sofferenza nel cercare di stabilire una relazione con i figli. Le lettere ai bambini sono forse quelle con più carica emotiva, tanto è commovente lo sforzo dell'autore di avvicinarsi come padre a dei figli che non può vedere crescere.
Leggere queste lettere permette di comprendere meglio la figura di Gramsci al di là del suo pensiero politico e del suo contributo intellettuale. L'aspetto privato è fondamentale per avere un'idea della statura morale di un uomo che ha segnato la storia d'Italia.
July 5, 2020
These are tough reads, better for off the shelf reference.
July 15, 2012
much like the first one. i really enjoyed this collection of thoughts by gramsci. he talks about society, about literature, art, culture and the depth of knowledge and insight he gives is incredible. again there were large swathes of this that i skipped past because it referred to some very specific Italian intellectuals that i will probably never hear about again but evertheless the bibliography section and the notes section at the end was almost as good to read as Gramscis stuff itself. i ordered around 6 other books to read as shown in the notes section. i cant wait to start the final volume. amazing mind.
January 1, 2015
So interesting seeing the famous Gramsci excerpts lost inside small notes. Makes you think that scholars working on Gramsci have done almost as much work as Gramsci himself. That said this volume makes very clear his Eurocentrism and at times his racism, especially when he talks about Africa, at one time referring to the 'backwards African masses.'
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.