Raffaello Brignetti: The Forgotten Writer Obsessed with the Sea

Raffaello Brignetti (1921–1978), born on Isola del Giglio, spent his childhood in a lighthouse on Elba, where his father was keeper. He attended school by boat in Porto Azzurro, later graduating from Liceo Classico in Portoferraio. After moving to Rome to study literature, he fought in Greece during WWII and was imprisoned in a German labor camp (1943–1945) alongside Giovanni Guareschi. He graduated in 1947 with a thesis on sea narratives, supervised by Giuseppe Ungaretti, and joined a literary circle including Leone Piccioni and Mario Petrucciani. Brignetti turned to journalism, writing for Il Tempo, Il Giornale d'Italia, and Corriere della Sera. He published sea-themed stories: Morte per acqua (1952), La deriva (1955), and La riva di Charleston (1960). A 1961 car accident left him wheelchair-bound, but he continued writing. He won the Premio Viareggio in 1967 for Il gabbiano azzurro (Einaudi) and the Premio Strega in 1971 for La spiaggia d'oro (Rizzoli), defeating Carlo Cassola. He lived in a tower in Marciana Marina, maintaining his island connection. A centenary conference, "Elba ligure, Liguria Elbana," was held on October 4, 2021, in Marciana Marina.