“The RIZZOLI UNIVERSAL LIBRARY in a series of accurate volumes aims to make the ancient and modern capital works of all literature, as well as particularly significant works of culture and popularization, within the reach of all. Its characteristics are: careful selection of texts… rigorous preparation of translations… up-to-date introductory notes, annotations, bibliographies, indexes and repertories… diligent care of composition and printing, pocket format; the cheapest selling price allowed by the Italian market. ” An ambitious program, but fully successful in hindsight. The gray of the BUR was an extraordinary commercial success, as well as a democratic project of national acculturation: the print runs started from 10,000 copies to reach 100,000 or more for some titles! At a more than affordable selling price, they guaranteed the student as well as the worker a large and philologically reliable library, in pocket format, with a sharp typeface and a modern layout. A popular product but in the noblest sense of the term. “Sobriety and elegance. Poverty and rigor. An amazing series ”, so defines its illustrious bibliographer / biographer, the reader Oliviero Diliberto; because the BUR, like all self-respecting editorial series, also has its own biographer, who sang its exploits, telling volume by volume the history of post-war Italy, avid for reading. So writes Diliberto in his biography of the BUR, entitled Nostalgia del grigio: “A gigantic work of mass literacy, on which at least two generations of Italians and Italians were trained. (...) The BUR - for the readers of the time - represented the "daily grappa of a young alcoholic" according to an amazing definition by Giorgio Manganelli. " Angelo Rizzoli and Luigi Rusca, who thought and conceived it, they knew they could succeed, because the idea was the right one and the people's need was clear and defined. It ended in 1972, when needs had changed and certain models, even typographical ones, were outdated. This complete collection, which is offered here to new intrepid collectors, therefore also wants to be a tribute to those who conceived it, to the ranks of young scholars who edited the entire series volume by volume, to the many readers who have grown up on its pages: a greeting message for those who still believe in the value of the written word and the books that transmit it, even if they were gray, poor and ascetic like the gray bricks of the BUR.