IL MIO GIORNALE

Probably little known to the general public, Il mio giornale by Rossi “is a logbook — a daily record of the events and adventures Rossi experienced during his journey first, and later during his stay in South America. It is, therefore, at once an autobiographical work, in which he recounted much of his own life, and a chronicle of the historical events in which he personally took part. It is also a rich collection of accounts about the places where he lived (first and foremost his hometown) and the cities he travelled through. Moreover, it offers a vivid compendium of curiosities and information on the most distinctive aspects of his adopted country, Argentina — its fauna and flora, its birds and insects, the carapachay, the carpincho, the quiyà, the Argentine carnival, the gaucho, the sereno, the conventillos, the mate, popular songs and dances, the boqueano and the rastreador, and the ombú. Finally, it presents a gallery of characters, some admirable, others less so, yet all (at least to me) fascinating.”(from the preface to Volume I by Dino Collazzo)

Rossi wrote the work between 1863 and 1865, but it was published in three volumes only between 1903 and 1913.

The text is likely incomplete, as the author had announced his intention to describe his entire stay in Argentina, up to 1885. Unfortunately, Rossi’s unpublished diaries have not survived.

The reprint of the first volume was released in September 2025, while the remaining two volumes are scheduled for publication during 2026