Giuseppe Garibaldi

by Alfonso Scirocco

La vita di Giuseppe Garibaldi, ricca di imprese eccezionali compiute in America e in Europa, conosce subito un'enorme popolarità in tutto il mondo. Uomini politici, letterati, giornalisti si interrogano sul fascino della sua personalità, in cui convivono il temerario sprezzo del pericolo e la compostezza e gentilezza di modi. Il disinteresse, la fermezza con cui rifiuta ricompense e onori, la semplicità della vita che sconfina nella povertà colpiscono la fantasia delle masse. Nel 1860 la fama dell'incredibile conquista di un regno si diffonde per canali misteriosi tra operai e contadini polacchi, russi, ungheresi, che attendono la sua spada vendicatrice.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Italy

377 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[Tim Parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really excellent biography of Giuseppe Garibaldi. He was the kind of man who had such an astonishing life, became so much a myth in his own time, perhaps the most popular figure of the 19th century throughout Europe and even beyond, that it becomes extremely difficult to write about him without either just enthusing on the one hand, or alternatively doing everything you can to break down the myth. Scirocco has got round the problem by doing a lot of new research into the nitty gritty of Garibaldi's life, particularly the years in South America, his discovery of his vocation as a fighter for liberal causes, his experiments with what might be possible, politically and militarily, his setbacks and successes. There are lots of letters, from Garibaldi and people knew him, things you don't find in other biographies. The end result is that the life comes across as both more extraordinary and more believable. Even for those who know nothing of Italy and 19th century European politics, this will still be a fascinating and exciting read.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting life, one that demonstrates the importance of boldness in leadership and in creating a legend. Garibaldi couldn't have been more simple and human, he seemed to fail more than he succeeded, yet he had an extraordinary level of determination, perseverance and self-sacrifice.

"He was not only a warrior...Although he was no strategist and showed little or no interest in organization, he had leadership qualities, "firm expression, rapid decision-making, and resourcefulness." He read a great deal, "but he lacked the basic rudiments in politics as in soldering." He rushed to conclusions without struggling through the intermediate argumentation. Crude notions of democracy, communism, cosmopolitanism, and positivism mixed in his bran...drawing him into contradictions of which he was not aware." However, "with a heart like Garibaldi's a man can certainly permit his brain the odd distraction."

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess this is an academic book about Garibaldi. It certainly goes into more detail than I was looking for.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reading for travelers to Italy.

[Clayton Brannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Well written thoroughly researched account of a man for the ages.

[Dave · Rating 1 out of 5]

Woof.

My review has nothing to do with the subject matter, but all to do with the writing and the editing. I could not wait to be done with this book. For those that like their history stories written in chronological order then this is not the book for you.

If you like to read about topics grouped together when reading a biography about a person's life, then this wouldn't be as bad as I'm making it. For me? I prefer my histories to be linear in thought. Where you get deep into the story about a person during a specific time and then progress through the story as the person progresses through their own life. This story, while maintaining to the specific era of Garibaldi's life, went from his battles in one chapter to the politics focused in another to some other part of his life in the next only to jump back into battles in the subsequent chapter.

The result seemed like a story about a man's adventurous life a mile wide and an inch deep.

[Fausto Lammoglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una densa biografia che umanizza il mito di Garibaldi, mostrandone i valori incorruttibili e la difficoltà di mantenersi coerente. Molto belli i ritratti che escono di Cavour, Mazzini e Vittorio Emanuele nelle loro relazioni con l’Eroe.

Nonostante la mole enorme è un testo affascinante che, al netto delle compilazioni forse eccessive, incolla il lettore che non potrà non essere colpito da uno dei pilastri del Risorgimento italiano, nonché guerriero della libertà per i più svariati paesi mondiali.

[Andrea Maisano · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Non si può dividerlo dal mito. Lo vedranno passar vivo in mezzo a loro le generazioni venture, sempre che si leveranno per un ideale umano. Sgombrategli il passo: il suo cammino va oltre le nazioni, oltre le generazioni", così Giovanni Bovio parlando di Giuseppe Garibaldi tracciava il forte legame tra l'uomo e il mito. Scirocco, in questa dettagliata biografia dell'eroe dei due mondi, ormai diventata un classico della storiografia sul Risorgimento, approfondisce questo legame narrando una vita che già durante il suo avventuroso svolgimento aveva il sapore di una leggenda. Il ritratto che ne viene fuori non è solo infatti dell'eroe per l'unità nazionale - che comunque rimane uno dei punti fermi della vita del nizzardo - ma di un combattente per la libertà, perfettamente inserito - e in tal senso decisamente interessanti le pagine sul tema del rapporto tra Garibaldi e i movimenti mazziniani, democratici e socialisti - nell'internazionalismo ottocentesco.