Conversations in Sicily

Conversations in Sicily, now being published by New Directions in a new translation, holds a unique place in the annals of Italian literature. It stands as a modern classic not only for being a tale well told but also as a trailblazer for its style, which steered young Italian writers away from the then-prevailing cadenced and rarified prose towards the more muscular American tradition.

When Hemingway wrote in introduction for the American debut of Conversations (New Directions, 1949), he remarked: "I care very much about Vittorini's ability to bring rain with him when he comes, if the earth is dry and that is what you need". It was what the partisans and passive resisters needed in those World War II days and they found it in this book. Indeed, many of those in hiding assumed the names of Vittorini's characters. In 1943 Vittorini was jailed by the fascist police for this very novel which had circulated widely even before its 1941 publication.

The novel is about a journey back to roots. A successful but troubled businessman learns that his father has deserted his mother, leaving her on her own on the outskirts of a primitive Sicilian village. The narrator has not been back to Sicily for years. On his journey he reconnects with his past and encountering the Sicilian countryside and the people with their robust character and earthy ways -- his redoubtable mother in particular -- he rediscovers himself and the basic values of life.