Alberto Moravia

Alberto Pincherele pen name Moravia was born in Italy to a wealthy family. His father was Jewish and his mother was royalty. Moravia's debut novel Gli indifferent published in 1929. He had several novels turned into films including II Conformista (The Conformist in 1970), A Ghost at Noon in 1963 and The Empty Canvas in 1964.
Moravia claimed that the turning point in his life was his tubercular infection that help in bed for five years and the political sense of Fascism. His writing style was cold and depicting the bourgeoisie and their lack of cultural awareness. Moravia considered sex and money the only criteria for judging reality.
In 1959 to 1952 Moravia was president of PEN the worldwide association of writers. After WWII Moravia became very popular with The Women of Rome in 1947 Disobedience in 1948 and Conjugal Love and other stories in 1949. He received the Premio Strega (I Racconti).In 1954 a short story collection won the Marzotto Award. He founded the literary magazine New Arguments.
In 1960 Moravia published Boredom or the Empty Canvas (La Noia) that parodied the troubled relationships between a painter and a Roman lady. It won the Viareggio Prize and became a major film in 1962.
His 1982 visit to Japan inspired a series of stores for L'Espresso magazine about the atomic bomb. This writing includes interviews with contemporary scientist and politicians.
Alberto Moravia in 1990 was discovered dead in his bathroom. Posthumously his novel Life of Moravia was published. He left behind Elsa Morante (divorced in 1962), Dacia Maraini (divorced in 1983), and Carmen Llera.