Dall’archivio Feltrinelli: ricognizione intorno alla rassegna stampa de Il fabbricone

The essay examines materials preserved in the Historical Archive of the Feltrinelli publishing house, focusing on the press review and editorial documentation related to Il fabbricone (1961), the final work in Giovanni Testori’s cycle I segreti di Milano. Through the analysis of promotional inserts, editorial bands, catalogues, and contemporary reviews, the author investigates the Feltrinelli’s role in shaping the literary identity of the novel, in supporting the process of novelization of the narrative cycle, and in how these elements were received by the press of the time. The essay highlights the tensions between the editorial project and the authorial intent, as well as Testori’s positioning within the Italian literary landscape of the 1950s and 1960s, particularly in relation to Pasolini and the “new language question.” The negative critical reception of Il fabbricone, despite its commercial success, suggests a set of critical issues that may contribute to reflections on the interruption of the narrative cycle.