Single-handedly conceived and crafted by its creator, the hyper-active but relatively unknown Milan-based journalist Annibale Del Mare, the monthly Cronache d’Italia (1948–1963) was more than an eclectic bulletin of Italian news (with a special flair for entertainment, the arts, tourism, and local attractions). Supported by a discreet but consistent political backing, the magazine succeeded in weaving a veritable world wide web of Italian immigrant readers and Italophiles (well beyond the usual destinations of the Italian diaspora) – as witnessed by its gigantic epistolary archive, a treasure trove of the plights and expressive creativity of Italian immigrants worldwide.
