Giuseppe Garibaldi remains one of the most fascinating figures in Italian history to this day. His biography is simultaneously a history of Italy in the 19th century. Friederike Hausmann traces the life of a passionate adventurer who, unlike politicians like Mazzini and Cavour, managed to inspire the people as well. Garibaldi's Expedition of the Thousand to Sicily left all of Europe in astonished disbelief. By the end of his life, Garibaldi was an officially celebrated national hero and a feared opponent of the new bourgeois rulers. Literary and documentary evidence complements this entertaining and knowledgeable biography, which also paints a familiar picture of Italy: a country that achieved unity without losing its diversity.