Goliarda Sapienza

Goliarda Sapienza (1924–1996) was an Italian writer and actress. Born in Catania into an antifascist socialist family, she moved to Rome at the age of sixteen to study acting. During the Second World War, she joined the Resistance. In the 1950s and 1960s, she worked successfully as a stage actress and appeared in films by directors including Luchino Visconti and Francesco Maselli. She began writing alongside her acting career. Her autobiographical novel »Lettera aperta« (»The Open Letter«) was published in 1967. Her major work, »L’arte della gioia« (»The Art of Joy«), as well as several other writings, was published posthumously.