Born in Oneglia (Imperia) in 1846, Edmondo De Amicis studied first in Cuneo, then in Turin, after which he entered the military school of Modena. In 1866 he fought in the battle of Custoza, and in 1870 he fought at Porta Pia. He then resigned form the military and began to dedicate himself to journalism and writing – his first novel “Cuore” (Cuore: the Heart of a Boy) of 1886 was quite successful. De Amicis also took an active role in local Turinese politics as a socialist. He helped bring about projects such as the Reale Società Ginnastica (a physical education initiative). He died in Bordighera in 1908. |
