«A wrong Italian»: Pier Antonio Quarantotti Gambini, his non-fiction works between chronicle, history and modernity

Abstract

Pier Antonio Quarantotti Gambini, considered the most important Istrian writer of the 20th century, belongs to the great literary season of Trieste together with Svevo, Saba and Stuparich. His work is deeply linked to Istria, his homeland and constant source of inspiration. His exile following Istria’s transfer to Yugoslavia and his expulsion from the Trieste Civic Library had a painful impact on his life. This experience fuelled the theme of exile in the narrative cycle of Anni ciechi (Blind Years). In the essays Primavera a Trieste (Spring in Trieste) and Luce di Trieste (Light of Trieste), the writer reflects on memory, the fate of the Julian region and its cultural identity. In Sotto il cielo di Russia (Under the Sky of Russia), he offers a travelogue aimed at understanding the USSR beyond prejudice. The historical essay I nobili di Rovigno (The Nobles of Rovinj) was published posthumously, further proof of his love for Istria. His work, ranging from fiction to non-fiction, expresses the tormented conscience of his time and the identity of a «stranger in his own homeland».