Sofia Bisi Albini

The preface is written in the form of a letter and signed by a "grateful" Fogazzaro who thanks her for being so "true", without much vanity. However Fogazzaro regrets the author's choice to hide her identity behind a pseudonym.

Within a few years Sofia publishes numerous novels and short stories, as like "Cose vecchie e impressioni nuove" (1882)", "Omini e Donnine" (1887) e "Il figlio di Grazia" (1898), always obtaining appreciation from critics and the public.

"Omini e Donnine" is a collection of short stories for children. In the final pages of the volume, the publisher inserts an advertisement for another Bisi volume "Il figlio di Grazia".

On the occasion of the first edition of "Il Figlio di Grazia", Gerolamo Rovetta writes a letter to Sofia Bisi Albini which shows a clear admiration for the writer: «fra le donne che scrivono sono poche quelle che..., come Voi, sanno rimanere una donna anche scrivendo. Altre, molte altre, fan la voce grossa ... per borbottare paroloni o anche parolacce da omo, diventando rauche e fastidiose... e per mostrarsi virili dicono pure … qualche trivialità!». This letter will be published as a preface to the second edition.

Since the first edition, the novel bears a dedication by the author to her husband, the sculptor Emilio Bisi, with whom she had already been married for fifteen years, and to their four children.

The trader

The farmer

"Evviva il mio Avvenire!", partly takes up the text of "Il libro dell'Avvenire" with some additions. Noteworthy are the beautiful illustrations by Attilio Mussino in black and green ink.

The mechanic

The artist

Her interventionist and social commitment found ample space in the magazines she directed, where harsh tones were reserved for "vile" women who evaded the sacrifices of patriotic mobilization.

Thanks to her initiative in 1915 in Milan were born the Nests for the children of the recalled, places to welcome very young children and to help working mothers. Supported by individuals and initially managed by volunteers, the nurseries multiplied both in Milan and in the rest of Italy, often transforming themselves into permanent structures, which offered meals and hospitality, and sometimes the possibility of spending holidays outside the city.

Ada Negri dedicates a long greeting to Sofia Bisi Albini on the pages of the "Italian illustration": the poetess from Lodi, who at the beginning of her career had been interviewed by Bisi, portrays her "tireless", always in pursuit of her ideals. Bisi's books are "works of love" that the author has left to other women, just as "legacy of love" are all the associations she founded and animated during her life. Ada Negri concludes her memory with these words: «Camminò camminò senza prender sosta, lavorò lavorò senza concedersi tregua: quel che ad altri può sembrare sconfitta, fu per essa incitamento di forza...».