Giovannino Olivero Giuseppe Guareschi was born on 1 May 1908 in Fontanelle di Roccabianca (Parma). His father, Primo Augusto, owned a small shop that sold and repaired bicycles, sewing machines, and farm equipment. His mother, Lina Maghenzani, was an elementary school teacher. In 1914, the family moved to Parma, and with the outbreak of World War I, Primo served as a noncombatant laborer. During this time the Guareschis had a second son, Giuseppe (Pino) Ludovico, and Giovannino began his formal schooling.
During his years at the “Romagnosi” liceo in the mid-1920s, Guareschi came under the guidance of Cesare Zavattini who was an instructor at the school and who would later become one of the most …
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Citation: Perry, Alan. "Giovannino Guareschi". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 06 December 2010 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12793, accessed 21 November 2024.]