Giorgio Faletti
A multitalented Italian showman who conquered literature late in life, writing a record-breaking thriller that became a global publishing phenomenon.
1950–2014 (age 64)·Italian writer·Birthday: November 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Giorgio Faletti lived several creative lives before becoming a literary sensation. He was first known in Italy as a comic actor on television, a singer-songwriter with a hit record, and a sharp-witted radio host. It wasn't until his late forties that he turned to writing novels, unleashing a pent-up storytelling genius. His 2002 thriller, 'I Kill' ('Io uccido'), was a seismic event in Italian publishing. Rejected by major houses, he self-published it to unprecedented word-of-mouth success, eventually selling millions of copies worldwide. The book's success, breaking sales records in Italy, proved that a charismatic outsider could upend the establishment. Faletti followed it with more bestsellers, crafting intricate plots often set in the glamorous, dark worlds of media and entertainment he knew so well, securing his status as a unique voice in European crime fiction.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Giorgio was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Giorgio Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Giorgio's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2014Died at 64
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- His debut novel 'I Kill' ('Io uccido') sold over 5 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling Italian books of all time.
- Achieved international fame with his books translated into 25 languages across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
- Won the prestigious 'Premio Bancarella' literary award in 2003 for 'I Kill'.
- Had successful prior careers as a television comedian, a singer with a top-ten album, and a radio host.
Did You Know?
He was a licensed airplane pilot and often flew his own plane.
Before his literary fame, he wrote songs for iconic Italian singer Mina.
He lived for many years in a secluded house on Elba Island, where he wrote his novels.
“I killed the Pope in my first novel, and Italy went mad.”
