About
Leonardo Sciascia (1921-1989) was an Italian writer born in Racalmuto, Sicily. He is known for his novels and essays exploring political corruption and the Mafia. His first significant work, 'Le parrocchie di Regalpetra' (1956), chronicles life in a small Sicilian town. His novel 'Il giorno della civetta' (1961) is considered a landmark literary study of the Mafia. He also wrote political analyses such as 'L'affaire Moro' (1978). Politically engaged, he served in the Italian and European Parliaments.
* 1921-01-08 — † 1989-11-20
Major works
- Le parrocchie di Regalpetra (1956)novel
- Il giorno della civetta (1961)novel
- Il consiglio d'Egitto (1963)novel
- A ciascuno il suo (1966)novel
- Il contesto (1971)novel
Key milestones
- 1975Elected to the municipal council of Palermo on the Italian Communist Party slate, he resigned in 1977.
- 1979Elected to the Italian Parliament and the European Parliament with the Radical Party.
- 1978Publishes 'The Moro Affair', an analysis of the kidnapping and assassination of Aldo Moro by the Red Brigades.
Themes
Political corruptionMafiaSicilyJusticePower
Sources: britannica.com · id.loc.gov · nytimes.com