Beppe Severgnini is an Italian journalist, author, and public speaker. He is best known for his columns in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera and for his books on Italian culture and society. He is also a regular contributor to the BBC and The New York Times. Severgnini was born in Crema, Lombardy, and studied at the University of Milan. He began his career as a journalist in the 1980s, writing for the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. He then moved to Corriere della Sera, where he wrote a weekly column for over 20 years. His columns often focus on the cultural differences between Italy and other countries, and he has written extensively about the Italian way of life. Severgnini has written several books, including La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind, which was a bestseller in Italy and was translated into several languages. He has also written books about the Italian language, Italian cuisine, and the Italian economy. Severgnini is a frequent speaker at conferences and universities around the world, and he has been a guest on numerous television and radio programs. He is a member of the Italian Senate and a professor at the University of Milan. He is also a member of the Italian Academy of Sciences and a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations.