author
Giuseppe Rovani
1818–1874
A sharp, restless voice in 19th-century Italian literature, this Milanese novelist and essayist helped bridge the world of the Risorgimento and the rebellious spirit later associated with the Scapigliatura. He is best remembered for bringing modern energy and historical breadth to the Italian novel.
4 Audiobooks
Manfredo Palavicino, o, I Francesi e gli Sforzeschi: Storia Italiana
by Giuseppe Rovani
Valenzia Candiano: Racconto
by Giuseppe Rovani
La giovinezza di Giulio Cesare, Volume 2 (of 2)
by Giuseppe Rovani
La giovinezza di Giulio Cesare, Volume 1 (of 2)
by Giuseppe Rovani
About the author
Born in Milan on January 12, 1818, Giuseppe Rovani was an Italian novelist, essayist, and journalist whose life was closely tied to the political and cultural upheavals of his time. He took part in the Risorgimento, and after the 1848 revolution he spent time in exile in Switzerland alongside republican figures such as Giuseppe Mazzini and Carlo Cattaneo.
Rovani became known for pushing back against the older romantic historical novel, favoring a livelier and more critical way of writing about society and the past. He wrote early novels including Lamberto Malatesta, Valenzia Candiano, and Manfredo Pallavicino, and he is especially remembered for Cento anni, the ambitious work most often linked with his reputation.
Literary historians often describe him as a forerunner of the Milanese Scapigliatura, the bohemian and anti-conventional movement that emerged in the later 19th century. He died in Milan on January 26, 1874, but his work still stands out for its mix of political passion, irony, and experimentation.