The wings of the eagle, Giorgio Parodi, Genoese, aviator, entrepreneur” is the book that tells the origins and history of Moto Guzzi as seen from Genoa, where Guzzi was formally born in a notary’s office in 1921 thanks to the means and resourcefulness of the Parodi family. Because the Milanese Carlo Guzzi (transplanted to Mandello) represented “the technical branch”, but the capital and the industrial and commercial strategies are due to Giorgio Parodi and his father Vittorio Emanuele.
The result of two years of historical research, written by several hands, the book tells (well documented) the history of the great Genoese family: a lineage of entrepreneurs since 1875 thanks to Angelo, that of the Parodi tuna. Starting from a fish shop, the one who would become Giorgio’s grandfather was able to grow and expand to become a powerful shipowner and fish industrialist, with processing plants all over the world.
We talk about ships, tuna and sardines, wars and rebirths and above all, before getting to motorcycles, planes. Because Giorgio Parodi was a great flying enthusiast, as a pilot he fought in East Africa and Europe, he earned four medals for valor. And in an air base he met – here is one of the origins of our passion – Carlo Guzzi who worked on airplanes and Giovanni Ravelli from Brescia: exuberant pilot, third partner in the company but crashed and unfortunately died before the dream came true.
This is why the eagle became the symbol of Moto Guzzi: from flight. The book is capable of moving, as a good history book should always do. It is available on the publisher’s website, Tormena di Genova, or @ www.giorgioparodi.it, cover price 48 euros, 256 pages, many photos and even private letters. Wanted by Giorgio’s passionate niece, Elena Bagnasco.
And from 13 to 15 May, in Genoa, the centenary of Moto Guzzi will be celebrated (the delay is due to the pandemic) with the “Giorgio Parodi Days”. It will be a memorable event, with exhibitions in the city and in the Porto Antico of the most beautiful Guzzi up to the Otto cylinders of Carcano; and then the national gathering, street food, stalls, exhibitions, parades of vintage motorcycles up to Portofino, gala dinner, even the intervention of the Frecce Tricolori which had been missing in Genoa for thirteen years.
The proceeds will be donated to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of the Gaslini Institute in Genoa. For any info, contact the website www.giorgioparodi.it and/or the FB page ‘Giorgio Parodi – le ali dell’Aquila’.