If there is still any doubt, during the pandemic we have discovered how important it is to communicate science to a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds. Some might think it’s easy, but we’ve seen, instead, how much each misstep can do damage to the cause, and not necessarily because of mistakes or lack of knowledge: often, the problem lies in the attitude of those who find themselves in a position to transfer basic concepts to Audience of non-experts, who often do not understand the explanations, not because of a lack of goodwill.
For scientific communication to be effective, the publication must certainly have scientific skills, but this is not enough: it must Abandon any paternalistic attitude, or even worse, arrogant and put oneself on the same level as the listenerKnowing that he will not be able to use the same language with a group of graduate students and with middle school students.
For some it is a natural gift, others can learn it by taking an example from the previous. For several years, universities have been offering teaching and courses for the training of future advocates, and there is also a publishing house that from the very beginning has been engaged in bringing science, or rather science, even to the homes of those who know little or nothing.
With 504 books published under her belt, Codice Edizioni has aged this yearwhich shows that when you do well you go a long way, and that this is also true in the field of independent publishing.
This publishing house has the great advantage that it has given widely in Italy, in unexpected times, a genre that has come to the fore only in recent years, because it is only recently that large publishing houses have begun to respond with a large number of publications to the need, not so latent To understand the causes of the world around us. The books published by Codice are very strict, but the fact remains that they are easy to understand for readers who are not necessarily familiar with the subject, also because the publications range from physics to technology, passing through the natural sciences and many other subjects. Hardly anyone can have specific skills in each of these areas, so the authors proceed with caution, accompanying the reader step-by-step to understanding the topic.
Scientific publishing is a topic very close to BoLive’s heart, so we thought we’d give an interview Vittorio and Marco Po, founder and general coordinator of Codice Edizioni respectively To better understand how a famous book was born.
Reporting by Anna Cortlazo and Editing by Elisa Spironello
Since the publishing house was founded in 2003, there has been a small revolution in the scientific panorama: “Many things have changed – Vittorio Po emphasizes – for example the sensitivity of scientists, and therefore also the attention of the public in Italy. The interest of experts towards general understanding of science Which led them to participate by trying to convey their passion and research in an accurate and understandable way as well. Not only publications go in this direction, but also festivals, exhibitions and other events. Now the consensus is higher on the part of the public as well as on the part of the scientific community and the subjects responsible for spreading this culture, for example schools or the same families, girls and boys.”
This return to science fills us with hope because, rhetorically and correctly, it is above all the young people who can pursue these demands: they are the ones who will change the choices of the great publishers and they are the ones who may one day become the new Piero. and Alberto Angela. Understanding that science is a part of our lives, and that is precisely why it can be fun even when it’s not our job, is one of the few positive legacies the pandemic will leave us.
As mentioned, One of the most important challenges a caller faces is presenting important topics lightly, which is not synonymous with superficiality, but rather an added value. Marco Po explains that the publisher process changes depending on whether we are talking about an Italian or foreign work: in the second case, part of the work is carried out by foreign publishing houses, and thus some reflections are made upstream. In this case, Code is more research work Scouts, whereas when we talk about Italian texts we focus more on how to present the more technical aspects so that they are clear and understandable to all concerned. Marco Poe emphasizes that the recent tendency of the public to search and reward this type of publication also helps in this sense: surely for the author, it is good to know that he will address a wide audience and not a few enthusiasts.
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There is nothing, or almost nothing, that the world cannot make understandable. as long as you want it
And it is nice to see how the baton is passed on to the new generations: “The greatest satisfaction – says Vittorio Po – is to see the catalog grow, first with a great deal of research into importing books from abroad, which we have been able to do. Also thanks to many of the collaborators who helped us, starting with Telmo Pievani, Luca Cavalli Sforza, Enrico Bellone and many other friends; then worked Scouts Young scientists to highlight their skills and qualities in communicating their research topics. I think this is the best thing for those who do our job as a publisher: to build and shape topics that are then translated into book form.”
To celebrate Christmas with readers, Codice distributed a limited-edition notebook to bookstores that was given to those who purchased two titles from the series, but above all, since you turn 18 as an adult, all readers can Online Voting The “first book” of the series.
We at Boliv take part in the festivities, and we wish the blog another 18 years of excellent publishing and literature!
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