ABSTRACT
To an English ear, the literal translation acquires other, almost surreal tones, suggesting images of a telephonist somehow being able to exchange or connect cultural poles at different ends of a line. His interest in the work of foreign and Italian avant-garde movements was always accompanied by the desire to publicize, to discuss publicly, in order to involve the largest possible number of people. In his activity as an editor, Vittorini often acted as a go-between, as an 'operator' trying to create a dialogue out of seemingly distant and unconnected voices. Already as a teenager, when, from the deep provincial South, he sent his call for help to the Roman court of Curzio Malaparte and Enrico Falqui, these traits of Vittorini's personality were well developed and ready to be put to the test. Malaparte understood the value of the ambitious young Sicilian and gave him space in the pages of La Conquista dello stato, Il Mattino and L'Italia letteraria.
