Umberto C. Mariani, Ph.D.

Umberto Mariani, PhD, born in 1927 in Lissone, Italy, was the youngest of a large Catholic family. He pursued literature in college and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pavia in 1955. His dissertation on the works of Cesare Pavese sparked his interest in American literature, leading him to further studies at the University of Rome and eventually to the United States as a Fulbright-Smith-Mundt scholar. In 1957, he met Alice J. Gladstone, who became his wife in 1963 and his lifelong collaborator.

He joined the faculty at Rutgers University in 1959, where he dedicated over 40 years to teaching Italian history, culture, art, literature, and film. He also guided more than 40 Master’s and Ph.D. students to complete their theses. Beloved by his students for his willingness to provide feedback, advice, and support, he retired in 2002 as Professor Emeritus of the Department of Italian. Until around 2015, he served as editor for the journals Italian Quarterly and NEMLA Italian Studies, both published by Rutgers University.

Over the years, he authored multiple books on Italian and American literature, along with many articles and book reviews. His work explored a broad range of Italian and American literature from past centuries, covering writers from Vico, Parini, and Manzoni to De Forest, Henry James, Pirandello, Pavese, Silone, Pomilio and Doni. He and his wife frequently collaborated on translations, thoughtfully deliberating over English phrasing to best capture the Italian meaning. He also authored Lissoneisimi (My Dear Town of Lissone), a tribute to the customs, stories, and dialect of his Italian hometown. As a devout Catholic and academic, he maintained a lifelong interest in religious and historical interpretations of the New Testament, publishing a recent article on Creationism and Evolution that blended his perspectives on faith and the origins of life.

Growing up in a small Italian town during WWII, he learned the traditions of his heritage, crafting household items from wood. While leading an active professional life in the U.S., he continued this tradition of woodworking and furniture making, while also raising animals and cultivating fruit trees, grapes, and bees on the family homestead in Hillsborough, NJ.

Just days after his 97th birthday, he passed away peacefully of natural causes, surrounded by family. He is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Alice J. Mariani; his daughters, Francesca V. Mariani (Daniel L. Lakeland and grandsons Nicolas M. and Alexander M. Lakeland) of Altadena, CA, and AnnaLisa Mariani of Philadelphia, PA; as well as family and numerous cousins in the United States and Italy.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Rutgers Italian Department in his name, HERE.

A memorial service will be held in early 2025 at Rutgers University.