author
Cletto Arrighi
1830–1906
A lively Milanese writer and journalist, he helped give a name to the Scapigliatura movement and brought restless, modern energy into 19th-century Italian literature. His work ranges from political memory to satirical fiction, with a strong feeling for the streets and language of Milan.
1 Audiobook
Nanà a Milano
by Cletto Arrighi
About the author
Born Carlo Righetti and better known by the anagrammatic pen name Cletto Arrighi, he was an Italian writer, journalist, and political figure closely tied to Milan. Reliable reference sources describe him as an important early voice of the Scapigliatura, the rebellious literary and artistic movement that challenged convention in northern Italy.
He fought in the struggles of the Italian Risorgimento and later worked in journalism and public life. His best-known book is La scapigliatura e il 6 febbraio, the novel that gave the movement its name, and his writing also included historical fiction, theater, and works in or about the Milanese dialect.
What makes him interesting today is the mix in his career: patriot, newspaperman, novelist, playwright, and observer of urban life. His books and journalism helped capture the mood of a changing Milan, making him a useful guide to both the literary and civic culture of 19th-century Italy.