Little Novels of Sicily

"Little Novels of Sicily" is a collection of stories drawn from Giovanni Verga's childhood, set in Sicily, which was reported to be the poorest place in Europe during that time. Verga's style is straightforward, confident, and implacable. The writer beautifully described the class struggle between landlords and tenants, the relationship between men and the land, and the unsentimental, sometimes surprisingly lyrical evocation of the landscape.