[1] Zucconi was born in Bastiglia, Province of Modena, Kingdom of Italy.

After completing his secondary school at a Classical college, Zucconi received a degree in literature and philosophy from the University of Milan.

He had previously been a reporter for the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera from Moscow, and for La Stampa from Brussels and Tokyo.

[3] Zucconi was also known for several appearances on TV shows as an editorialist.

Since summer 2007, he had been teaching graduate classes on Italian history and journalism at Middlebury College in Vermont.