Giorgio Bassani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giorgio Bassani
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Giorgio Bassani in 1974
|
|
| Born | 4 March 1916 Bologna, Italy |
| Died | 13 April 2000 (aged 84) Rome, Italy |
| Occupation |
|
Giorgio Bassani (born March 4, 1916 – died April 13, 2000) was an important Italian writer. He wrote novels, poems, and essays. He also worked as an editor and was known around the world for his ideas.
About Giorgio Bassani
Giorgio Bassani was born in Bologna, Italy. His family was Jewish and well-off, and they lived in Ferrara. He grew up there with his mother Dora, his father Enrico (who was a doctor), and his siblings Paolo and Jenny.
In 1934, he finished high school in Ferrara. At first, he loved music and thought about becoming a pianist. But soon, writing and literature became his main interest.
In 1935, he started studying at the University of Bologna. He traveled by train from Ferrara to attend classes. He studied under the art historian Roberto Longhi. Bassani admired the historian and philosopher Benedetto Croce, who believed in "free thinking."
Even though anti-Jewish laws were put in place in 1938, Bassani was able to graduate in 1939. He wrote his final paper on a writer named Niccolò Tommaseo. As a Jewish person in 1939, it was hard to find work. So, he became a teacher at the Jewish School of Ferrara.
In 1940, Bassani published his first book, Una città di pianura (which means "A City of the Plain"). He used the fake name "Giacomo Marchi" to avoid the race laws. During this time, he also secretly worked with friends against the government.
His work in the anti-fascist movement led to his arrest in May 1943. He was set free on July 26, the day after Italy's leader, Benito Mussolini, was removed from power.
A little over a week later, he married Valeria Sinigallia, whom he had met playing tennis. They moved to Florence for a short time, using different names. Then, at the end of 1943, they moved to Rome, where Bassani lived for the rest of his life.
His first book of poems, Storie dei poveri amanti e altri versi, came out in 1944. Another book of poems, Te lucis ante, followed in 1947. He also edited a literary magazine called Botteghe oscure from 1948 to 1960.
In 1953, his book La passeggiata prima di cena was published, and in 1954, Gli ultimi anni di Clelia Trotti. In the same year, he became an editor for Paragone, a journal started by his former professor.
Bassani's writings became more widely known in 1956. This was when his book of short stories, Cinque storie ferraresi (meaning "Five Stories of Ferrara"), was published. This book won the important Premio Strega award. The five stories in it are Lida Mantovani, La passeggiata prima di cena, Una lapide in via Mazzini, Gli ultimi anni di Clelia Trotti, and Una notte del '43.
As an editorial director for the Feltrinelli publishing house, Bassani helped publish a very famous novel. In 1958, he was responsible for publishing Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. This book had been turned down by other publishers, but it became one of the biggest successes in Italian literature after World War II.
Also in 1958, Bassani's novel Gli occhiali d'oro (meaning "The Gold Rimmed Glasses") was published. This book looked at how Jewish people and homosexuals were treated differently in society. This novel, along with stories from Cinque storie ferraresi, became part of a series called Il romanzo di Ferrara (The Novel of Ferrara). This series explored the city of Ferrara, its Christian and Jewish communities, and its landscapes.
The series includes:
- Il giardino dei Finzi-Contini (The Garden of the Finzi-Continis) (1962), which won the Premio Viareggio award.
- Dietro la porta (1964).
- L'airone (1968).
- L'odore del fieno (1972).
These books show how the Italian Jewish community lived under Fascism. They also explore how difficult it is to find the truth when looking back at memories and thinking about right and wrong.
In 1960, one of his short stories, Una notte del '43, was made into the film Long Night in 1943. A stage play based on The Garden of the Finzi-Continis is also being created by opera composer Ricky Ian Gordon.
From 1965 to 1980, Giorgio Bassani was the president of an organization called Italia Nostra. This group works to protect Italy's historical and natural heritage.
Bassani passed away in 2000 and was buried in the Jewish Cemetery in Ferrara. He received many important awards for his writing, including the Strega Prize, the Premio Campiello, the Viareggio Prize, and the Nelly Sachs Prize. He also helped write several movie scripts.
Awards
- 1956 - Strega Prize for "Cinque storie ferraresi"
- 1962 - Viareggio Prize
- 1969 - Nelly Sachs Prize
- 1969 - Campiello Prize for "L'airone"
- 1983 - Bagutta Prize for "In rima e senza"
- 1987 - Pirandello Prize
- 1992 - Feltrinelli Prize for Prose
Film adaptations
- Long Night in 1943
- The Garden of the Finzi-Continis
- The Gold Rimmed Glasses
Images for kids
-
Giorgio Bassani in 1974
See also
In Spanish: Giorgio Bassani para niños
