SHARRYLAND
Carignano Square and the Luxemburg International Bookstore
In the Turin that could not be more Savoyard, one enters this place of nonconformist culture that has seen the passage of great names in literature.
Where is
What it is and where it is
The contrast is stark--the setting of the square is Baroque with the curved front of Palazzo Carignano and on the opposite side the 18th-century building of the theater of the same name. In the center is the statue of Vincenzo Gioberti, one of the protagonists of the Risorgimento. Casting an eye on the shop windows are two historic signs: the Cambio restaurant (1757) and the Pepino ice cream shop (1884), in their own way city institutions. Finally, in the far corner you recognize the Luxemburg bookstore, with its modern windows profiled in black enamel, and focus on the sign that reads "Libreria Internazionale - British Bookshop."
Why it's special
The bookshop's logo depicts an owl, a symbol of Minerva, goddess of wisdom, and also shows the year it opened its doors, 1872. This alone would be enough to encourage a visit, but it is its role as a cultural relais, matured under recent management, that makes it imperative for those who find joy in reading and direct comparison. In short, books are sought here, but also talked about with the bookseller and other patrons. At a moment in history that makes bookstores a category at risk of extinction, it is refreshing to find an example of how the trend could be reversed elsewhere.
Not to be missed
The first room is devoted to new publishing, wandering among counters, and Italian publishers, on the shelves all around. Then you walk through a door and find yourself in the illustrated section of the most varied genre, from architecture to fashion. The best, however, is yet to come because a wooden staircase finally ascends to the foreign language literature section , starting with English. There is something for everyone, starting with the great classics, including Harry Potter. The atmosphere is muffled and it is easy to lose track of time in flipping through the books before deciding on one.
A bit of history
The bookstore, founded in 1872, has a history marked in two phases: the first one hundred years as an old-fashioned bookstore-publisher, under the name of the founder, Casanova, with the pride of having introduced authors such as De Amicis and Verga; then, starting in 1970, as Luxemburg bookstore, thinking of making it a sort of nonconformist literary circle. Which it still is to this day, honored over the years by the passage of great authors: Primo Levi, Philip Roth, Amos Oz, Allen Ginsberg, Jorge Amado... one only has to review the posters and articles hanging on the walls to get an idea of what its role still is today.
Trivia
The renewal of the sign, in 1970, is due to Angelo Pezzana, "bookseller, journalist, writer, politician." Too bad he is no longer with us, because we could have asked him about his choice for the new business name. Those behind the counter today say it has something to do with the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, a place dear to the founder for some very personal reason. Too bad it is spelled Luxembourg in French. Could it be that there is rather a reference to Rosa Luxemburg? Indeed, the woman who symbolized prewar socialism would seem closer to the spirit of the bookstore, but the question remains...
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