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Herbals, both ancient and modern, transmit knowledge about nature's powers. Plants (and stones) can heal, preserve, and kill. Sometime their language is arcane, or ambiguous, and that is why they are often illustrated. May this herbal bring comfort, pleasure, and enlightenment to those who peruse it.
About the author
Antonello Borra teaches Italian at the University of Vermont. He is the author of Guittone d’Arezzo Selected Poetry and Prose (University of Toronto Press, 2017). His other books of poetry are Fabbrica delle idee / Factory of Ideas (Fomite, 2019), Alfabestiario (Fomite, 2013 and Lietocolle, 2009), Alphabetabestiario (Fomite, 2011), Frammenti di tormenti (seconda parte) (Lietocolle, 2006), and Frammenti di tormenti (prima parte) (Longo, 2000). A selection from his bestiaries appeared in German translation with the title AlphabeTiere (Kern Verlag, 2015). He has published Italian translations of poetry from English (Djuna Barnes, Greg Delanty, W.S. Merwin), German (Johannes Hösle, Michael Krüger,), Spanish (Roberto Sosa, José Watanabe) and Catalan (Ramon Farrés, Cinta Massip). His poems have appeared in many journals and magazines including “05401”, “Crocevia”, “Ecozon@”, “Gradiva”, “In forma di parole”, “Italian Poetry Review”, “L’immaginazione”, “Nuovi argomenti”, “Poesia”, and “Steve”.
About the artist
Marco Vacchetti teaches Italian and Latin at the Liceo Classico "D'Azeglio" in his native Turin. He has taught Creative Writing at the Scuola Holden from 1995 and directed the school from 2000 to 2006. He has published Storie dell'arte (Art Histories, Rizzoli, 2000). From 2007 to 2009 he kept a column, Pianeta Scuola, in the daily newspaper La Repubblica writing on the Italian school system. He has also held seminars on Creative Writing for many educational institutions and private companies, including the Fondazione per la Scuola della Compagnia di San Paolo, Iulm Milan, Ied Turin, Turin Polytechnic, Università di Scienze Gastronomiche Pollenzo, Unicredit, Heineken, Feltrinelli Foundation, Circolo dei Lettori and Festival Spiritualità Turin. He has just published Disegnare un elefante. L'insegnante di liceo come professione: (Drawing an Elephant. The Profession of Teaching Classical High-School, Einaudi, 2024). He is an accomplished painter and before settling for a career in teaching he worked in television advertising for the Agenzia Armando Testa.