Rubbettino Editore has been publishing in Soveria Mannelli since 1971 and is now one of the most respected independent publishing houses in Italy. Its catalogue leans heavily toward political philosophy, liberalism, and the history and culture of southern Italy — fields where it has carved out genuine authority. The publishing house has a bookshop attached to its headquarters in the town centre, and it is well worth visiting for anyone interested in Italian intellectual life or who simply wants a good bookshop in an unexpected place.
The fact that a publisher of this stature is based here — rather than in Milan or Rome — says something about the eccentric vitality of Italian cultural life, and about the Rubbettino family's commitment to their home territory. The shop's stock goes well beyond what you would find in a mainstream Italian bookshop. A good place to spend an hour.