Carlo Collodi

Born Carlo Lorenzini in Florence in 1826, he wrote under the pen name Carlo Collodi, taken from the Tuscan village where his mother was born. Before becoming famous for fiction, he worked as a journalist and wrote with a sharp, often playful eye on politics and public life.

He is remembered above all for The Adventures of Pinocchio, first published in serial form in the early 1880s and later collected as a book. The story's mix of fantasy, humor, and moral struggle gave it unusual staying power, turning Pinocchio into one of the most recognizable characters in world literature.

Collodi also wrote schoolbooks, stories, and adaptations of French fairy tales for Italian readers. He died in 1890, but his work—especially Pinocchio—has continued to travel across languages, generations, and formats.