Carlo Collodi
Carlo Collodi (24 November 1826 – 26 October 1890), the pseudonym of Carlo Lorenzini, was an Italian journalist, author, and satirist best known for his children's novel Le avventure di Pinocchio: Storia di un burattino, first serialized in 1881 and published as a book in 1883.[1][2][3] Born in Florence to working-class parents—his father a cook in service to a noble family—Lorenzini adopted the pen name Collodi after his mother's hometown in Tuscany.[1][2] Early in his career, he pursued seminary studies but abandoned them to engage in journalism, supporting Italy's Risorgimento movement for unification through writings and a satirical newspaper he founded.[4][2] Later serving as a civil servant and translator, Collodi shifted to children's literature in the 1870s, producing moralistic tales that emphasized discipline and education, with Pinocchio emerging as his enduring legacy for its vivid portrayal of a mischievous puppet's quest for humanity.[5][2] He died suddenly in Florence at age 63, his fame largely posthumous as Pinocchio gained international acclaim.[2]