Iris Origo (1902-1988) was a British-born biographer and writer. She lived in Italy and devoted much of her life to the improvement of the Tuscan estate at La Foce, which she purchased with her husband in the 1920s. During WWII, she sheltered refugee children and assisted many escaped Allied prisoners of war and partisans in defiance of Italy's fascist regime and Nazi occupation forces. Pushkin Press also publishes her war diaries, War in Val D'Orcia, her memoir, Images and Shadows, as well as another of her biographies, Leopardi: A Study in Solitude.
A meticulous and at times inspired biographer Spectator A colorful book New York Times A fascinating and sincere biography... a treasure trove... gives off a rich aroma of those fargone and unbelievably romantic days Kirkus Reviews A sublime wordsmith and an astute and passionate observer of human behavior New York Times A fascinating book... an exciting and complex story admirably told -- Clive Bell Spectator