In the chronicles of modern Italian letters, Sibilla Aleramo appears with some frequency both in her own right and as an associate of other poets, artists, and intellectuals. Whether viewed as a celebrity, a curiosity, or a highbrow femme fatale, Aleramo was connected with scandal and women's emancipation as well as literature in her native Italy. In recent years there has been a resurgence of critical, biographical, and feminist studies on her and a reexamination of her works, particularly the novels and diaries. Aleramo's major lyric production is contained in two volumes: Selva d'amore (Woods [or Treasury] of Love, 1947) consists of poems written between 1912 and 1946, and Luci della mia sera (My Evening Lights, 1956) contains her later poems. But, as Aleramo declared, all her writing is essentially lyrical. Both the fictional works and poetry are used to project a self-image and achieve self-understanding and self-definition. There is also a...