Leggere o non leggere (gli pseudobiblia)

Abstract

The subject of pseudobiblia – that is imaginary books – is here analyzed in details. First of all, some definitions and classifications of this theme are proposed in order to show the different contexts in which pseudobiblia are present. Then, the topic is examined both in mythology and in legendary tradition, from the Egyptian and Classical Antiquity through the Middle Age to the Modern and Contemporary Times. The use of fictional books in fantastic literature is also discussed, especially in relation to the work of H. P. Lovecraft, remembered as the creator of the most famous pseudobiblion, the Necronomicon. Another chapter is devoted to the catalogs and the bibliographies of imaginary books, a peculiarity that comes directly from the sixteenth century to the present days. Finally, large sections are dedicated to the use of pseudobiblia in modern and contemporary literature and, particularly, in authors such as Cervantes, Sterne, Dossi, O’Brien, Ruiz Zafòn, Perec, Byatt, Nabokov, Lem, Bolaño. Moreover, a special attention is given to Jorge Luis Borges and to some of his tales, considered a fondamental and personal elaboration of the subject.