Antonio Marinoni was born in Pozzolengo, Italy in 1879. He studied classical and romance languages at the University of Padua and later at Yale University, where he earned a graduate degree in Latin. Marinoni then taught at Columbia University for a year before securing a position at the University of Arkansas in 1905. He married Rosa Zagnoni in New York in 1908, they later had four children. Professor Marinoni soon became the head of the Romance Languages Department teaching Latin, French, Spanish, and Italian, while also fluent in German, Portuguese, and English. During World War I, the educational system in many parts of Europe had broken down, even ceased to exist in some places. After the war was over, Professor Marinoni was invited to assist in the reconstruction of his native country, Italy. The University of Arkansas granted him a leave of absence to return to Northern Italy and help reestablish their educational system. Professor Marinoni was decorated in 1921, in appreciation for his work, and made an "Official of the Order of the Crown of Italy" by King Victorio Emanuelle III. Upon returning to Fayetteville that fall, Professor Marinoni resumed his position with the University. Soon afterwards, he started organizing tours of Europe with a former professor W. M. Brisco which included visits to England, France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. By 1923, "Marinoni Tours" was open for business and continued to conduct eleven tours until 1938. The following year, the United States entered World War II and it was no longer safe to travel in Europe. There was a six-year gap between trips in the early 1930s due to the Depression, however, Professor Marinoni used the time to write Come Ho "Fatto" L'America, (translation, "How I Made It To America") and a travel guide, Italy, Yesterday and Today. Professor Antonio Marinoni was only retired from the University of Arkansas for two months when he died of a heart attack in 1944.