The Modern Novel

Biography

Beppe Fenoglio was born in Alba in 1922. He went to Turin University to study literature but did not graduate, as he was called up to the army. He was in the army till 1943, when he returned to Alba and joined the partisans. One of his tasks was liaison with the British. His parents were arrested but then released. After the war, he again returned to Alba and worked for Marenco, a local wine producer. In 1960 he married Luciana Bombardi and they had a daughter the following year. All the while, he was writing though, initially, with little success. His first book was rejected and Elio Vittorini persuaded him to abandon his novel, taking only two small portions as stories, before publishing the short story collection I ventitré giorni della città di Alba (Twenty-Three Days in the City of Alba). His first novel was then published, followed by a translation of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Unhappy about the lack of success he was having, he switched publisher and had somewhat more success but sadly died of lung cancer in 1963. Most of his work, including Il partigiano Johnny (Johnny the Partisan) and translations of Wuthering Heights and The Wind in the Willows, was published posthumously.

Other links

Beppe Fenoglio
Beppe Fenoglio (in Italian)
Beppe Fenoglio (in Italian)
Beppe Fenoglio (in Italian)
Beppe Fenoglio (in Italian)
Beppe Fenoglio (1922-1963) (in Italian)