[1] Born in Riposto, the son of a sea captain, Giarrizzo studied letters under Santo Mazzarino at the University of Catania, graduating in 1949.

[2] In 1950 he won a fellowship at the Benedetto Croce's Italian Institute for Historical Studies, where under the guidance of Federico Chabod he authored his first essay, Edward Gibbon: His View of Life and Conception of History.

[2] He then left this commitment as a Rockefeller Foundation fellowship led him to do academic trips in England, France and Holland.

[2] Among other things, he was author of books about David Hume, Giambattista Vico and the history of Sicily.

[1][2] A longtime associate of the Italian Socialist Party, between 1985 and 1986 he was town planning councillor of Catania.