Don Camillo & His Flock

Book excerpt: Set against the post-war backdrop of a rural village in the Emilia-Romagna, this is the second in a new series of hilarious and incisive Don Camillo anthologies, which offer 215 stories translated into English for the very first time. As ever, the townsfolk, riven by their disparate allegiances to the hot-headed Catholic priest and his equally pugnacious adversary Peppone, the Communist Mayor, are relieved of their prejudices by the gentle humour and insights coming from high above the altar in the village church. REVIEWS 'Written with such warmth and simplicity, so concerned with the trivialities of everyday life and giving us so shrewd a glimpse into the minds of the people . . .' London Evening News 'Charming and enchanting...witty and wise' -- Edinburgh Evening News 'You'll find Don Camillo not just enchanting and lovable, and at times hilariously funny, but also strangely moving in his simple but certain faith.' -- BBC Radio Books by the Fire ABOUT THE AUTHOR Giovannino Guareschi, known as Giovanni to his millions of English language readers, was born at Fontanelle in the Valley of the Po on the 1st of May, 1908. His father wanted him to become a naval engineer. He, for the very enjoyment of going the opposite way, determined to become a lawyer, but found his vocation when he sent some cartoons he had drawn to the satirical magazine, 'Bartoldo'. Later he founded a satirical magazine, 'Candido', and wrote 346 stories featuring Don Camillo, a character who has done for Italy what Cervantes Don Quixote did for Spain.